DOCSLIB.ORG

Identification, Distribution and Control of an Invasive

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Identification, Distribution and Control of an Invasive IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL OF AN INVASIVE PEST ANT, Paratrechina SP. (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE), IN TEXAS A Dissertation by JASON MICHAEL MEYERS Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2008 Major Subject: Entomology IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL OF AN INVASIVE PEST ANT, Paratrechina SP. (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE), IN TEXAS A Dissertation by JASON MICHAEL MEYERS Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved by: Committee Chair, Roger Gold Committee Members, Jerry Cook Albert Mulenga Leon Russell Jr. Jim Woolley Head of Department, Kevin Heinz August 2008 Major Subject: Entomology iii ABSTRACT Identification, Distribution and Control of an Invasive Pest Ant, Paratrechina sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Texas. (August 2008) Jason Michael Meyers, B.S., Southwest Missouri State University; M.S., University of Arkansas Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Roger Gold Invasive species are capable of causing considerable damage to natural ecosystems, agricultures and economies throughout the world. These invasive species must be identified and adequate control measures should be investigated to prevent and reduce the negative effects associated with exotic species. A recent introduction of an exotic ant, Paratrechina sp. nr. pubens, has caused tremendous economic and ecological damage to southern Texas. Morphometric and phylogenetic procedures were used to identify this pest ant, P. sp. nr. pubens, to Southern Texas. The populations in Texas were found to be slightly different but not discriminating from P. pubens populations described in previous literature. Analysis of the distribution and expansion of P. sp. nr. pubens found numerous geographically discrete populations and moderately expanding territories. These expansion rates were determined to be ~20 and ~30 m per mo for a neighborhood and industrial area, respectively. Several laboratory and field control strategies were implemented for control of this intensely pestiferous species. Dinotefuran exhibited high laboratory efficacy against iv P. sp. nr. pubens, while treatments using novaluron were inconclusive. The use of expanded-use Termidor® demonstrated trends in these data that suggest it as the treatment of choice. Other field treatments, such as Termidor and Top Choice®, Termidor and Advance Carpenter Ant BaitTM, and Transport® and Talstar® G, did not attain the success found in the expanded-use Termidor treatment. Most treatments examined were determined ineffective against high populations of P. sp. nr. pubens. Additional and more intensive population management regimes should be investigated. Abating further P. sp. nr. pubens population proliferation to other regions will only be realized from additional control research supplemented with state and federal interdiction policies. v DEDICATION I wish to thank my parents, Harlan and Cathy Lupton, for putting up with me and all the times I needed advice on life. Without them this would have truly not been possible. Mom, thank you for always being there for me, loving me, and looking out for me. Dad, thank you for instilling a hard work ethic in me and for always doing what was right. Kelsi, thank you for reminding me to be young and silly; two things I seem to do very well. I dedicate this dissertation to my family, Harlan, Cathy and Kelsi Lupton. Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, O sluggard; Observe her ways and be wise, It has no commander, No overseer or ruler, Yet it stores its provisions in summer, And gathers its food at harvest. Proverbs 30: 24-25 Four things are small on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong folk, But they prepare their food in the summer. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my appreciation to all of the individuals who helped and guided my study. My thanks and gratitude to my dissertation director, Dr. Roger Gold, for all of his patience, advice and guidance. I wish to thank my dissertation committee, Drs. Jerry Cook, Albert Mulenga, Leon Russell, and Jim Woolley for their comments, suggestions and encouragement. I thank and acknowledge those who assisted with the data collection and the many hours of hard and difficult labor. I thank Dr. James Austin for his immense help, knowledge, and above all else, friendship. I want to also thank him for his thorough and critical review of this dissertation. I thank Bryan Heintschel when he volunteered to endure the heat and humidity in La Porte and Deer Park during the dead of summer. I thank Dr. Harry Howell, may God rest his soul, for helping me set up my first experiment with this ant. I would like to thank Bill Summerlin who taught me a great deal about ant identification and for being a good friend. I thank Dr. Grady Glenn for putting up with all of my pest control questions, advice for my projects, and how to speak to residents. I also thank the other graduate students in our lab for their advice, support, experience and friendship, including; Barry Furman, Molly Keck, Chris Keefer, Aaron Thompson, and Rachel Wynalda. I greatly thank Dr. Jimmy Olson for all of the great advice and conversations we’ve had over the years; I will be forever in debt. I would like to thank Tom Rasberry. Tom helped provide invaluable help and advice during my field research and a friendship that will undoubtedly continue. vii I would like to thank those who supplied samples of various ant species including; Chris Baptista, Preston Brown, John Cammack, Bryan Heintschel, Jeff Keularts, Joe MacGown, Nevlin Williams, and Lee Womack; Drs. Grady Glenn, Gregg Henderson, Mike Merchant, Rudy Scheffrahn, James Wetterer, and John Warner. I wish to thank those who provided the scholarships I received throughout my time in graduate school. The financial help I was given provided me the opportunity to focus on my research and class work. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT........................................................................................................ iii DEDICATION .................................................................................................... v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................ vi TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................. xiii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION....................................................................... 1 II MORPHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF Paratrechina SP. NR. pubens (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) POPULATIONS IN TEXAS................................................................................... 7 Introduction ..................................................................... 7 Materials and methods .................................................... 11 Results ............................................................................. 13 Discussion ....................................................................... 22 III MOLECULAR PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF AN INVASIVE Paratrechina SP. AND OTHER Paratrechina SPP. FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES........................................................... 27 Introduction ..................................................................... 27 Materials and methods .................................................... 29 Results ............................................................................. 33 Discussion ....................................................................... 37 ix CHAPTER Page IV DISTRIBUTION AND SPREAD OF AN EXOTIC ANT, Paratrechina SP. NR. pubens, IN TEXAS ................................ 44 Introduction ..................................................................... 44 Materials and methods .................................................... 46 Results ............................................................................. 49 Discussion ....................................................................... 60 V LABORATORY EVALUATION OF DINOTEFURAN IN LIQUID ANT BAIT AGAINST Paratrechina SP. NR. pubens 69 Introduction ..................................................................... 69 Materials and methods .................................................... 72 Results ............................................................................. 73 Discussion ....................................................................... 73 VI LABORATORY EFFICACY OF INSECT GROWTH REGULATOR, NOVALURON, FOR Paratrechina SP. NR. pubens CONTROL..................................................................... 78 Introduction ..................................................................... 78 Materials and methods .................................................... 79 Results ............................................................................. 82 Discussion ....................................................................... 82 VII FIELD EFFICACY OF ADVANCETM CARPENTER ANT BAIT AMENDED WITH DINOTEFURAN FOR CONTROL OF Paratrechina SP. NR. pubens .............................................. 90 Introduction ..................................................................... 90 Materials and methods ...................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Paratrechina Longicornis (A) PEST INFORMATION
    Paratrechina longicornis Harris, R.; Abbott, K. (A) PEST INFORMATION A1. Classification Family: Formicidae h Subfamily: Formicinae c Tribe: Lasiini esear e R Genus: Paratrechina t , Landcar Species: longicornis of d T har Ric A2. Common names Crazy ant (Smith 1965), long-horned ant, hairy ant (Naumann 1993), higenaga-ameiro-ari (www36), slender crazy ant (Deyrup et al. 2000). A3. Original name Formica longicornis Latreille A4. Synonyms or changes in combination or taxonomy Paratrechina currens Motschoulsky, Formica gracilescens Nylander, Formica vagans Jerdon, Prenolepis longicornis (Latreille) Current subspecies: nominal plus Paratrechina longicornis var. hagemanni Forel A5. General description (worker) Identification Size: monomorphic workers about 2.3–3 mm long. Colour: head, thorax, petiole, and gaster are dark brown to blackish; the body often has faint bluish iridescence. Surface sculpture: head and body mostly with inconspicuous sculpture; appearing smooth and shining. INVASIVE ANT RISK ASSESSMENT Paratrechina longicornis Whole body has longish setae. Appears quite hairy. Hairs are light in colour grey to whitish. General description: antennae and legs extraordinarily long. Antenna slender, 12-segmented, without a club; scape at least 1.5 times as long as head including closed mandibles. Eyes large, maximum diameter 0.3 times head length; elliptical, strongly convex; placed close to the posterior border of the head. Head elongate; mandibles narrow, each with 5 teeth. Clypeus without longitudinal carinae. Alitrunk slender, dorsum almost straight from anterior portion of pronotum to propodeal dorsum. Metanotal groove slightly incised. Propodeum without spines, posterodorsal border rounded; propodeal spiracles distinct. One node (petiole) present, wedge-shaped, with a broad base, and inclined forward. Dorsal surface of head, alitrunk and gaster with long, coarse, suberect to erect greyish or whitish setae.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to the Ants of Sabangau
    A Guide to the Ants of Sabangau The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project November 2014 A Guide to the Ants of Sabangau All original text, layout and illustrations are by Stijn Schreven (e-mail: [email protected]), supple- mented by quotations (with permission) from taxonomic revisions or monographs by Donat Agosti, Barry Bolton, Wolfgang Dorow, Katsuyuki Eguchi, Shingo Hosoishi, John LaPolla, Bernhard Seifert and Philip Ward. The guide was edited by Mark Harrison and Nicholas Marchant. All microscopic photography is from Antbase.net and AntWeb.org, with additional images from Andrew Walmsley Photography, Erik Frank, Stijn Schreven and Thea Powell. The project was devised by Mark Harrison and Eric Perlett, developed by Eric Perlett, and coordinated in the field by Nicholas Marchant. Sample identification, taxonomic research and fieldwork was by Stijn Schreven, Eric Perlett, Benjamin Jarrett, Fransiskus Agus Harsanto, Ari Purwanto and Abdul Azis. Front cover photo: Workers of Polyrhachis (Myrma) sp., photographer: Erik Frank/ OuTrop. Back cover photo: Sabangau forest, photographer: Stijn Schreven/ OuTrop. © 2014, The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project. All rights reserved. Email [email protected] Website www.outrop.com Citation: Schreven SJJ, Perlett E, Jarrett BJM, Harsanto FA, Purwanto A, Azis A, Marchant NC, Harrison ME (2014). A Guide to the Ants of Sabangau. The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Palangka Raya, Indonesia. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of OuTrop’s partners or sponsors. The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project is registered in the UK as a non-profit organisation (Company No. 06761511) and is supported by the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Trust (UK Registered Charity No.
    [Show full text]
  • Crazy Ant (Paratrechina Sp
    Midsouth Entomologist 3: 44–47 ISSN: 1936-6019 www.midsouthentomologist.org.msstate.edu Report The Invasive Rasberry Crazy Ant, Nylanderia sp. near pubens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Reported from Mississippi MacGown. J.1* and B. Layton1 Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762 *Corresponding Author: [email protected] Received: 18-XII-2009 Accepted: 23-XII-2009 Introduction The genus Nylanderia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Lasiini) currently includes 134 valid species and subspecies worldwide (LaPolla et al. 2010). Fifteen described species, including nine native and six introduced species, have been collected in the continental United States (Bolton et al. 2006, Trager 1984, Meyers 2008). Formerly, Nylanderia was considered to be a subgenus of Paratrechina and was only recently elevated to the generic level by LaPolla et al. (2010); consequently, it is referred to as Paratrechina in most of the literature. In 2002, large populations of an unknown Nylanderia species were discovered in Houston, Texas. After examination by taxonomic specialists, these ants were determined to be similar to Nylanderia pubens, the hairy crazy ant (Meyers 2008), known to occur in the Neotropical Region and in Florida (Wetterer and Keularts 2008), and similar to N. fulva (Mayr), which is native to South America (Meyers 2008). However, due to taxonomic uncertainty, this species has not been definitively identified as N. pubens, N. fulva or any of its eight subspecies, or even as an undescribed species. Therefore, at this time it is being identified as N. sp. near pubens (Meyers and Gold 2008), but it could also be referred to as N. sp.
    [Show full text]
  • Title Evolutionary History of a Global Invasive Ant, Paratrechina
    Evolutionary history of a global invasive ant, Paratrechina Title longicornis( Dissertation_全文 ) Author(s) Tseng, Shu-Ping Citation 京都大学 Issue Date 2020-03-23 URL https://doi.org/10.14989/doctor.k22480 許諾条件により本文は2021-02-01に公開; 1. Tseng, Shu- Ping, et al. "Genetic diversity and Wolbachia infection patterns in a globally distributed invasive ant." Frontiers in genetics 10 (2019): 838. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00838 (The final publication is available at Frontier in genetics via https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fgene.2019.00838/f ull) 2. Tseng, Shu-Ping, et al. "Isolation and characterization of novel microsatellite markers for a globally distributed invasive Right ant Paratrechina longicornis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)." European Journal of Entomology 116 (2019): 253-257. doi: 10.14411/eje.2019.029 (The final publication is available at European Journal of Entomology via https://www.eje.cz/artkey/eje-201901- 0029_isolation_and_characterization_of_novel_microsatellite_ markers_for_a_globally_distributed_invasive_ant_paratrec.php ) Type Thesis or Dissertation Textversion ETD Kyoto University Evolutionary history of a global invasive ant, Paratrechina longicornis Shu-Ping Tseng 2020 Contents Chapter 1 General introduction ...................................................................................... 1 1.1 Invasion history of Paratrechina longicornis is largely unknown ............... 1 1.2 Wolbachia infection in Paratrechina longicornis ......................................... 2 1.3 Unique reproduction mode in Paratrechina
    [Show full text]
  • Zootaxa, Taxonomic Revision of the Southeast Asian Ant Genus
    Zootaxa 2046: 1–25 (2009) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2009 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) Taxonomic Revision of the Southeast Asian Ant Genus Euprenolepis JOHN S. LAPOLLA Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University. 8000 York Road, Towson, Maryland 21252 USA. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The taxonomy of Euprenolepis has been in a muddled state since it was recognized as a separate formicine ant genus. This study represents the first species-level taxonomic revision of the genus. Eight species are recognized of which six are described as new. The new species are E. echinata, E. maschwitzi, E. thrix, E. variegata, E. wittei, and E. zeta. Euprenolepis antespectans is synonymized with E. procera. Three species are excluded from the genus and transferred to Paratrechina as new combinations: P. helleri, P. steeli, and P. stigmatica. A morphologically based definition and diagnosis for the genus and an identification key to the worker caste are provided. Key words: fungivory, Lasiini, Paratrechina, Prenolepis, Pseudolasius Introduction Until recently, virtually nothing was known about the biology of Euprenolepis ants. Then, in a groundbreaking study by Witte and Maschwitz (2008), it was shown that E. procera are nomadic mushroom- harvesters, a previously unknown lifestyle among ants. In fact, fungivory is rare among animals in general (Witte and Maschwitz, 2008), making its discovery in Euprenolepis all the more spectacular. Whether or not this lifestyle is common to all Euprenolepis is unknown at this time (it is known from at least one other species [V. Witte, pers. comm.]), but a major impediment to the study of this fascinating behavior has been the inaccessibility of Euprenolepis taxonomy.
    [Show full text]
  • Obituary in Memoriam – Volker Witte (1969 - 2015)
    Myrmecological News 22 21-23 Vienna, February 2016 Obituary In memoriam – Volker Witte (1969 - 2015) Heike Feldhaar, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), Uni- versity of Bayreuth, D-95540 Bayreuth, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] Susanne Foitzik, Evolutionsbiologie, Institut für Zoologie, Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Johannes-von- Müller-Weg 6, D-55099 Mainz, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] Christoph von Beeren, Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. E-mail: [email protected] Myrmecol. News 22: 21-23 (online 24 September 2015) ISSN 1994-4136 (print), ISSN 1997-3500 (online) Received 11 August 2015; accepted 11 August 2015 The unexpected passing of Dr. Volker Witte, a passio- nate ant researcher, on the 14 th of July 2015 in Munich, Germany, left us with a deep sense of loss. Volker studied biology in Frankfurt, Germany. Ever since his diploma project, he was dedicated to the study of pheromone communication in ants. Already then he be- gan working with Leptogenys army ants at the Ulu Gombak Field Station of the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). He returned to this rainforest site with plea- sure over the years as assistant professor. After finishing Volker Witte handling a non-venomous sunbeam snake at his PhD with Ulrich Maschwitz (University of Frankfurt, the Ulu Gombak Field Station of the University of Ma- Germany) on the coordination of raiding and emigration laya, Kuala Lumpur, in 2008 (© Christoph von Beeren). behavior of Leptogenys in 2001, he received a prestigious Alexander von Humboldt fellowship to join the lab of Athula Attygalle (Cornell University, USA) for two years Volker was also a dedicated teacher at the LMU Mun- to work on chemical communication in the invasive ant ich over many years, who shared his enthusiasm for the Paratrechina longicornis .
    [Show full text]
  • Identification, Distribution and Control of an Invasive
    IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL OF AN INVASIVE PEST ANT, Paratrechina SP. (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE), IN TEXAS A Dissertation by JASON MICHAEL MEYERS Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2008 Major Subject: Entomology IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL OF AN INVASIVE PEST ANT, Paratrechina SP. (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE), IN TEXAS A Dissertation by JASON MICHAEL MEYERS Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Approved by: Committee Chair, Roger Gold Committee Members, Jerry Cook Albert Mulenga Leon Russell Jr. Jim Woolley Head of Department, Kevin Heinz August 2008 Major Subject: Entomology iii ABSTRACT Identification, Distribution and Control of an Invasive Pest Ant, Paratrechina sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Texas. (August 2008) Jason Michael Meyers, B.S., Southwest Missouri State University; M.S., University of Arkansas Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Roger Gold Invasive species are capable of causing considerable damage to natural ecosystems, agricultures and economies throughout the world. These invasive species must be identified and adequate control measures should be investigated to prevent and reduce the negative effects associated with exotic species. A recent introduction of an exotic ant, Paratrechina sp. nr. pubens, has caused tremendous economic and ecological damage to southern Texas. Morphometric and phylogenetic procedures were used to identify this pest ant, P. sp. nr. pubens, to Southern Texas. The populations in Texas were found to be slightly different but not discriminating from P. pubens populations described in previous literature.
    [Show full text]
  • Texas Pest Ant Identification: an Illustrated Key to Common Pest Ants and Fire Ant Species
    ENTO-001 03/14 Texas Pest Ant Identification: An Illustrated Key to Common Pest Ants and Fire Ant Species Jerry L. Cook Identification of properly preserved ant Sam Houston State University specimens is not difficult with a good magnifying Sean T. O’Keefe, S. Bradleigh Vinson lens or dissecting microscope and light source. Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University The ant identification keys presented below are Bastiaan M. Drees in both written and illustrated forms. In either Extension Entomologist Emeritus case, begin at the top of the key and compare Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service the options presented in the first couplet (a pair of statements or illustrations) to the specimen’s characteristics. Choose the one that matches the specimen and proceed down the key until you Ants belong to the family of insects called find the proper identification. Formicidae and are in the order Hymenoptera, which also includes bees, sawflies, and These keys were prepared for common ant species wasps. There are over 291 species of ants found in and around the home and considered (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Texas (see The to be pests. You may not be able to identify some Common Ant Genera of Texas, a full-color specimens or rare species using this set of keys, identification key to the common ant genera of although they may be identified as belonging to a Texas). particular group of species. The illustration below provides the identification terms used in this key. Most ant species are not considered to be pests. They are, in fact, beneficial insects that prey upon other insects, collectively till more soil when making their nests than do earthworms, and are important parts of our ecosystem.
    [Show full text]
  • New Combination for a Little Known Indian Ant, Paraparatrechina Aseta (Forel, 1902) Comb
    J. Entomol. Res. Soc., 16(3): 95-99, 2014 ISSN:1302-0250 New Combination for a Little Known Indian Ant, Paraparatrechina aseta (Forel, 1902) comb. n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Himender BHARTI Aijaz Ahmad WACHKOO* Department of Zoology and Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala - 147002, INDIA, [email protected], *e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT A new combination is proposed for the little known Indian ant Paraparatrechina aseta (Forel, 1902) comb. n. It was misfit in the earlier taxonomic position and is therefore, transferred from Nylanderia to Paraparatrechina, and accordingly redescribed with illustrations. Key words: Formicinae, Paraparatrechina, new combination, Himalaya, redescription, taxonomy. INTRODUCTION Based on the taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of the Prenolepis genus-group LaPolla et al. (2010a) raised Paraparatrechina Donisthorpe, 1947, a formerly synonymized subgenus to generic status. Donisthorpe (1947) originally described Paraparatrechina as a subgenus of Paratrechina Motschoulsky, 1863; however, Brown (1973) and Trager (1984) relegated it as a synonym of Paratrechina. It currently includes 34 species and 5 subspecies distributed in the Paleotropics of Africa, Asia and Australia (LaPolla et al., 2010a, b; LaPolla and Fisher, 2014; Bolton, 2014). Paraparatrechina ants are typically easily distinguishable from other formicine genera by having five mandibular teeth and a unique mesosomal macrosetae pattern: two pairs of macrosetae on the pronotum, one pair on the mesonotum and one pair on the propodeum (LaPolla et al., 2010a, b). Paraparatrechina aseta (Forel, 1902) comb. n., originally described under Prenolepis Mayr, 1861, is the only member of the genus Paraparatrechina known in India. Based on our examination of specimens from India, we state that this species belongs to the genus Paraparatrechina, and below we give redescription and illustration of workers.
    [Show full text]
  • Nylanderia (=Paratrechina) Pubens
    FULL ACCOUNT FOR: Nylanderia (=Paratrechina) pubens Nylanderia (=Paratrechina) pubens System: Terrestrial Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Animalia Arthropoda Insecta Hymenoptera Formicidae Common name Caribbean crazy ant (English), Rasberry crazy ant (English), hairy crazy ant (English) Synonym Paratrechina , sp. nr. pubens Similar species Prenolepis imparis, Paratrechina guatemalensis Summary Nylanderia (=Paratrechina) pubens, or the hairy crazy ant, is an invasive pest which infests residences and businesses with vast colonies. Thought native to either South America or parts of the Caribbean, N. pubens establishes population explosions that are extremely problematic. It is known to accumulate in electrical equipment causing short circuits, clogging switching mechanisms, and causing equipment failure. Reports have also implicated it as an agricultural pest due to high densities of plant feeding Hemiptera that are tended by the ants. view this species on IUCN Red List Species Description Nylanderia pubens is a medium-small, 2.6-3 mm long, monomorphic, golden-brown to reddish- brown ant. Its body surface is smooth and glossy, and covered with dense hairs. Worker ants have long legs and antennae and their bodies have numerous, long, coarse hairs. Their heads are shiny, sparsely pubescent, and subcordate. The antenna have 12-segments with no club, and their antennal scape is nearly twice the width of the head. After feeding, the ant's gaster, rear portion of the abdomen, will appear to be striped due to stretching of the light-colored membrane connecting segments of the gaster. Its thorax is densely pubescent with long, abundant light- brown hairs. There is a small circle of hairs, called the acidopore, present at tip of the abdomen, as opposed to the typical stinger found in most ants, a characteristic of formicine ants found within the Formicinae subfamily.
    [Show full text]
  • Coffee Berry Borer Hypothenemus Hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Searching for Sustainable Control Strategies
    Bulletin of Entomological Research (2006) 96, 223–233 DOI: 10.1079/BER2006434 REVIEW ARTICLE Coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): searching for sustainable control strategies J. Jaramillo1,2, C. Borgemeister2 * and P. Baker3 1Institute of Plant Diseases and Plant Protection, University of Hanover, Herrenha¨user Str. 2, 30419 Hanover, Germany: 2International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, PO Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya: 3CABI Bioscience, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7TA, UK Abstract The coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) is the most serious pest of the world’s most valuable tropical export crop. Since the last review on this insect was published six years ago, many new studies have contributed to an improved insight into the biology and ecology of the beetle, and have indicated new avenues for integrated and biological control. The latest developments in research, both laboratory and field, on the pest, its natural enemies and their implications for integrated control of H. hampei are summarized, with a particular focus on the situation in The Americas. Lately, the global coffee industry has changed radically; it has suffered a long cycle of lowest-ever world market prices caused by overproduction and technological change. At the same time, the advent of sustainable certification schemes has had a major impact on the industry. The role of integrated pest management and biological control of H. hampei in an era of changes in the coffee industry is discussed. Keywords: coffee, biological control, integrated pest management, Hypothenemus hampei, parasitoids Introduction (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), (Le Pelley, 1968; Damon, 2000). Hypothenemus hampei causes serious In 70 countries in the humid tropics, coffee (Coffea economic losses and affects the economy of more than 20 spp., Rubiaceae) is the most important agricultural com- million rural families in the world (fig.
    [Show full text]
  • A Review of the Tawny Crazy Ant, Nylanderia Fulva, an Emergent Ant Invader in the Southern United States: Is Biological Control a Feasible Management Option?
    insects Review A Review of the Tawny Crazy Ant, Nylanderia fulva, an Emergent Ant Invader in the Southern United States: Is Biological Control a Feasible Management Option? Zinan Wang †, Lori Moshman †, Emily C. Kraus †, Blake E. Wilson †, Namoona Acharya † and Rodrigo Diaz *,† Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA; [email protected] (Z.W.); [email protected] (L.M.); [email protected] (E.C.K.); [email protected] (B.E.W.); [email protected] (N.A.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-225-578-1835 † These authors equally contributed to this paper. Academic Editor: Mary L. Cornelius Received: 1 November 2016; Accepted: 9 December 2016; Published: 15 December 2016 Abstract: The tawny crazy ant, Nylanderia fulva (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), has invaded states of the U.S. including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Native to South America, N. fulva is considered a pest in the U.S. capable of annoying homeowners and farmers, as well as displacing native ant species. As it continues to expand its range, there is a growing need to develop novel management techniques to control the pest and prevent further spread. Current management efforts rely heavily on chemical control, but these methods have not been successful. A review of the biology, taxonomy, ecology, and distribution of N. fulva, including discussion of ecological and economic consequences of this invasive species, is presented. Options for future management are suggested focusing on biological control, including parasitoid flies in the genus Pseudacteon, the microsporidian parasite Myrmecomorba nylanderiae, and a novel polynucleotide virus as potential biological control agents.
    [Show full text]