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 ...................................................