Utilizing Odor-Adsorbed Filter Papers for Detection Canine Training and Off-Site Fire Ant Indications

The red imported fire ant (RIFA, Solenopsis invicta) is an exotic aggressive pest that is notorious for its ability to seriously harm humans and animals, cause economic loss to agriculture, and damage ecosystems. This is the first study to validate the capability of filter paper adsorption as a feasible odor bearer of RIFAs and evaluate its use in detection dog training. Two live RIFA-experienced detection dogs achieved a mean 92% positive indication rate (PIR) on RIFA-scented papers with a relatively low false response rate (0.8%). The similar accuracies in recognizing live RIFAs (96%) and scented papers (92%) suggest that a filter paper is an effective odor reservoir. After training with live RIFA and scented filter papers, both RIFA-experienced and inexperienced detection dogs successfully indicated filter papers that were scented with at least 10 RIFAs for 4 h with a high PIR (>93%) and low false response rate (2%). Detection dogs correctly recognized the filter papers scented by 10 RIFAs for 24 h with a 97.6% PIR. Even for scented samples stored at −20 °C and 4 °C for 13 weeks, the positive indication rates (PIRs) were as high as 90%. These results suggest that filter paper is an effective RIFA odor bearer, and the scent can be maintained at least 13 weeks for dog identification. After RIFA-scented paper training, detection dogs showed high (>95%) PIRs for both RIFA-scented paper and live RIFAs and also successfully performed field studies. Using filter paper as a RIFA odor bearer is an effective and economical method for detection dog training and RIFA identification.

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Rate of Removal of Fenoxycarb (Logic®) Fire Ant Bait by Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Treated Pastures

Journal of Entomological Science ◽

10.18474/0749-8004-31.1.20 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

pp. 20-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Scott Ferguson ◽

Alan J. Hosmer ◽

Michael E. Green

Keyword(s):

Field Studies ◽

Fire Ants ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Paspalum Notatum ◽

Minimal Risk ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Effective Population ◽

Solenopsis Invicta Buren ◽

Imported Fire Ants ◽

Red Imported Fire Ants

Field studies were conducted in Vero Beach, FL, in November 1993 and 1994 to determine the rate of removal of Logic® fire ant bait by red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren, from treated improved pastures of bahiagrass, Paspalum notatum Fluegge. Logic® fire ant bait was applied at the maximum label rate of 1.68 kg/ha (16.8 g ai/ha). In 1993, fire ants had removed approximately 35% of the granules by 4 h after application and about 67% by 12 h. By 24 h, 82% had been removed. By the last count (48 h after application) about 95% had been removed. In 1994, the granules were removed slightly faster, with about 60% removed by 4 h and 92% by 24 h after application. Nearly 97% of the granules had been removed by the last count (30 h after application). In 1993, several mounds of the ant, Dorymyrmex bureni Trager, were found in the test area while in 1994 only red imported fire ant mounds were present. The results indicate that Logic® fire ant bait is found and harvested very rapidly by fire ant workers under favorable foraging conditions and that a dose which will provide effective population reduction can be obtained in 12 to 24 h after application at 1.68 kg/ha. Additionally, with its low use rate, specificity to certain insects and rapid removal by fire ants, Logic® fire ant bait when used according to label poses minimal risk to non-target organisms.

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Incipient colony growth in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)

10.1603/ice.2016.114892 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Hester L Dingle

Keyword(s):

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Colony Growth ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Incipient Colony ◽

Imported Fire Ant

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Laboratory Evaluations of Five New Formulations of Ascend Pt370 (Ai Abamectin) Against the Red Imported Fire Ant, 1993

Arthropod Management Tests ◽

10.1093/amt/21.1.389a ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 389-390

Author(s):

Bill Summerlin ◽

Roger Gold ◽

Harry Howell ◽

Jerry Cook

Keyword(s):

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Imported Fire Ant

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Well-Dispersed Silver Nanoparticles on Cellulose Filter Paper for Bacterial Removal

Nanomaterials ◽

10.3390/nano11030595 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 595

Author(s):

Hsiu-Wen Chien ◽

Ming-Yen Tsai ◽

Chia-Jung Kuo ◽

Ching-Lo Lin

Keyword(s):

Silver Nanoparticles ◽

Filter Paper ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Bacterial Reduction ◽

Treatment Technology ◽

Bacterial Removal ◽

Contaminated Drinking Water ◽

Gravity Driven ◽

Filter Papers ◽

Cellulose Filter

In this study, a polydopamine (PDA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI)-assisted approach was developed to generate well-distributed PDA/PEI/silver (PDA/PEI/Ag) nanocomplexes on the surfaces of commercial cellulose filter papers to achieve substantial bacterial reduction under gravity-driven filtration. PDA can bind to cellulose paper and act as a reducer to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), while PEI can react with oxidative dopamine and act as a dispersant to avoid the aggregation of AgNPs. The successful immobilization of PDA/PEI/Ag nanocomplexes was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were used as pathogen models to test the efficacy of the PDA/PEI/Ag nanocomplex-incorporated filter papers. The PDA/PEI/Ag nanocomplex-incorporated filter papers provided a substantial bacterial removal of up to 99% by simple gravity filtration. This work may be useful to develop a feasible industrial production process for the integration of biocidal AgNPs into cellulose filter paper and is recommended as a local-condition water-treatment technology to treat microbial-contaminated drinking water.

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Acute toxicity of typical ant control agents to the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Applied Entomology and Zoology ◽

10.1007/s13355-021-00728-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 217-224

Author(s):

Hironori Sakamoto ◽

Koichi Goka

Keyword(s):

Acute Toxicity ◽

Chemical Control ◽

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

The Pacific ◽

New Type ◽

Ant Control ◽

Abnormal Behaviors ◽

Imported Fire Ant

AbstractThe red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is a serious invasive alien ant around the world and has expanded its invasive range to the Pacific Rim since the early 2000s. It was first reported in Japan in 2017, and its entry through cargo has been reported numerous times in many ports. Colonies have been found in Tokyo Port since 2019, and now it is an urgent issue to prevent further invasion and establishment. Chemical control is the best tested method of insect control, but we have little information on the efficacy of insecticides against S. invicta in Japan. Here, we conducted acute toxicity assays of six quick-acting pyrethroids (transfluthrin, prallethrin, phenothrin, permethrin, metofluthrin, and pyrethrin) for killing adults and five new-type insecticides (fipronil, thiamethoxam, indoxacarb, imidacloprid, and hydramethylnon) for controlling colonies with toxic baits. We found that the LD50 from six pyrethroids were comparable to each other. The ED50 causing abnormal behaviors were smaller than LD50, but some ants recovered from paralysis within 12 h. Fipronil showed the lowest LD50 suggesting this chemical is the most promising agent for controlling S. invicta. Our results promise to develop a method for the chemical control of S. invicta.

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Comparison of gene expression in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) under different temperature conditions

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-95779-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Vatanparast ◽

Robert T. Puckett ◽

Deuk-Soo Choi ◽

Youngjin Park

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Gene Ontology ◽

High Temperature ◽

Temperature Stress ◽

Solenopsis Invicta ◽

Expression Profiles ◽

Fire Ant ◽

Molecular Response ◽

Red Imported Fire Ant ◽

Imported Fire Ant

AbstractThe red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren is native to South America and is known as a global problematic invasive species. This study focused on the molecular response of RIFA by comparing gene expression profiles after exposing ants to low (10 °C) and high (40 °C) temperature stress and comparing them to untreated controls (30 °C). A total of 99,085 unigenes (the clustered non-redundant transcripts that are filtered from the longest assembled contigs) were obtained, of which 19,154 were annotated with gene descriptions, gene ontology terms, and metabolic pathways. 86 gene ontology (GO) functional sub-groups and 23 EggNOG terms resulted. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with log2FC ≥ 10 were screened and were compared at different temperatures. We found 203, 48, and 66 specific DEGs co-regulated at 10, 20, and 40 °C. Comparing transcriptome profiles for differential gene expression resulted in various DE genes, including cytochrome P450, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1, cuticle protein and heat shock protein (HSP), which have previously been reported to be involved in cold and high temperature resistance. GO analysis revealed that antioxidant activity is up-regulated under high temperature stress. We verified the RNA-seq data by qPCR on 20 up- and down-regulated DEGs. These findings provide a basis for future understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of RIFA and the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to low and high temperatures.

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