PROCEEDINGS OF THE 1984 IMPORTED FIRE AN.T CONFERENCE <~y*¥' Publication of this Proceedings was supported by a grant from the Veterinary Medical Experiment Station, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA. This publication is the result of a Symposium called and sponsored by the U.S Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The opinions, conclusions and recommendations are those of the participants and are advisory to the agency. The papers published herein have been printed as submitted and have not been subjected to review by the agency prior to publication; therefore, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of USDA, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Trade and company names are used in this publication solely to provide specific information. Mention of a trade or company name does not constitute a warranty or an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the exclusion of other products or organizations not mentioned. -- Proceedings of the 1984 Imported Fire Ant Conference March 27-28, 1984 Gainesville, Florida Hosted by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science USDA Agricultural Research Service Prepared by Dr. Michael E. Mispagel Department of Physiology and Pharmacology College of Veterinary Medicine The University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 30602 This Proceedings of the 1984 Fire Ant Conference is dedicated to the memory of the late William F. Buren with gratitude for his contributions to the science of myrmecology. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface to Proceedings--MICHAELE. MISPAGEL,College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA ....... 1 Welcoming Remarks--SAL A. ALFIERE,Director, FDACS, Division of Plant Industry, Gainesvill~, FL ............. 2 Bill Buren: Scholar With a Mission--D.L. SHANKLAND,Chairman of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL ........... 4 Fire Ant Taxonomy--Whither Now?--JAMESTRAGER,University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Abstract only) 6 Influence of Selected Weedy and Weed-Free Sugarcane Habitats on Diet Composition and Foraging Activity of the Imported Fire Ant--AHMEDD.ALl, T.E. REAGAN,and J.L. FLYNN, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA (Abstract only) ...... 7 The Imported Fire Ant in Sugarcane Fields in Puerto Rico-- CARLOSCRUZand SANDRACASTRO,University of Puerto Rico, Isabela, PR ......................... 8 Imported Fire Ant Resurgence Following Chemical Treatment of Pastures--LOIS WOOD,University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (Abstract only) ....................... 10 Studies on the Ecology of Solenopsis in Mato Grosso, Brazil-- JERRYSTIMAC,University of Florida, IFAS, Gainesville, FL (Abst ra cton 1y) . ...................... 11 Recent Discoveries in Fire Ant Chemistry, Physiology, and Behavior--ROBERT K. VANDERMEER,USDA/ARS,Gainesville, FL. 12 Current Research Efforts on The Imported Fire Ant at Texas A & M-- S.B. VINSON,Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (Abstract only) ....................... 25 Effect of Pro-Drone on the Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren-- DAVIDBALL, Texas A&M University, College Station,TX (Abst r act 0n1y) ...................'.... 26 Fluorinated Sulfonamides: A New Class of Delayed Action Insecticides--ROBERT K. VANDERMEER,CLIFFORDS. LOFGREN, and DAVID F. WILLIAMS, USDA/ARS,Gainesville, FL ...... 27 Field Trials with Bait Toxicants--HOMER COLLINS, USDA/APHIS/PPQ, Gulfport, MS ........................ 40 Chronic Toxicity of a Fire Ant Insecticide in Dogs--DWIGHTB. COULTERandWAYNEA.CROWELL,University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Abstract only) 52 Update on the Registration Status of MK-936--RICHARD A. DYBAS, Merck & Company, Three Bridges, NJ (Abstractonly) 54 An Environmental Risk Assessment of Pro-Drone; Insect Growth Regulator for Controlling the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta)--DENNIS PAUSTENBACH, Stauffer Chemical Company, West Port, CT ............... 55 Current Research with Toxic Baits--DAVID F. WILLIAMS, USDAj ARS, Gainesville, FL .................... 66 Supercooling Studies on Four Species of Fire Ants--OSCAR F. FRANCKE, JAMES C. COKENDOLPHER, and LINDSEY R. POTTS, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX (Abstract only) 72 Airborne Venom Dispersal in Solenopsis: Functional Correlates of Insecticidal and Antibiotic Venom Properties-- MARTIN OBIN and ROBERT K. VANDER MEER, USDAjARS, Gainesville, FL ...................... 73 1983 Texas Imported Fire Ant Pro-Drone Aerial Application Program--MARK R. TROSTLE, Texas Department of Agriculture, Austin,TX ......................... 87 Questions and Answers on Pro Drone Application Program, Texas Department of Agriculture, Austin, TX ......... 88 IFA and Citrus (A videotape presentation)--CLAUDE ADAMS and CLIFFORD S. LOFGREN, USDAjARS, Gainesville, FL ....... (NA) Colony Founding Minums: A New Solenopsis invicta caste--JAMES BOSWORTH and R.K. VANDER MEER, USDAjARS, Gainesville, FL .. 92 A Citrus Based Solvent as a RIFA Mound Drench Material--CRAIG SHEPPARD and CYNTHIA A. GATES, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA ......................... 106 Reinfestation Rates of Imported Fire Ants Following Toxic Bait Treatments--CLIFFORD S. LOFGREN and DAVID F. WILLIAMS, USDAjARS, Gainesville, FL .................. 112 Diurnal and Seasonal Differences in RIFA Roadside Abundance-- DANIEL P. WOJCIK, R.J.BURGESS, and C.M. BLANTON, USDAjARS, Ga ine svi 11e, FL ....................... 120 A Technique for Marking Fire Ants--DANIEL P. WOJCIK,R.J. BURGESS, and C.M. BLANTON, USDAjARS, Gainesville, FL ......... 131 Hematologic and Immunologic Response of Holstein Calves to a Fire Ant Toxicant--DONALD L. EVANS, KAREN L. JACOBSEN, and DORIS M. MILLER, University of Georgia, Athens, GA ......................... 133 Research Highlights: 1983-1984--B.M. GLANCEY, USDAjARS, Gainesville,FL. 138 Isolation of the Pheromones of Solenopsis invicta and ~. richteri--FRANCISCO ALVAREZ,R.K. VANDERMEER, and CLIFFORDS. LOFGREN,USDA/ARS, Gainesville, FL ....... 162 Economic Impact of Imported Fire Ant in Puerto Rico--JOSE M. RODRIGUEZ,Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, San J uan, PR .......................... (NA) Foraging Strategies of Native Ants in Fire Ant Infested Areas of Central Texas--SHERMANA. PHILLIPS, JR., DAVIDM. CLABORN, and DAVEWESTER,Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX ..... 179 Pro-Drone Update--J. NOELWAGNER,Stauffer Chemical Company, Raleigh, NC ......................... (NA) An Update on RO-13-5223 (Logic Fire Ant Insecticide)--LEE BENSON, MAAGAgrochemicals, Vero Beach, FL ............. 197 Accudose Aerosol Injection Methods of Fire Ant Control with Pyrethrins or Dursban--O. GRADYQUERY,Cessco Company, Inc., Charlotte,NC. 205 Appendix A: Fire Ant Pesticide Fact Sheet--Environmental ProtectionAgency... 213 Appendix B: Participants in the 1984 Fire Ant Conference .... 226 (NA) - Not available at time of publication Preface to Proceedings The decision to publish these proceedings was made by the partici- pants of the conference at its conclusion. Many authors submitted abstracts prior to the start of the conference, but formal manuscripts were not requested. Because of the short notice given to authors to prepare contributions to the proceedings, a free format was permitted for this year's proceedings. Authors were requested on a volunteer basis to submit, in camera-ready form, whatever they felt appropriate to effectively convey the information they presented at the conference. The table of contents lists all presentations given during the 1984 Fire Ant Conference and indicates whether the submission for the proceedings was in abstract form or unavailable at the time of publication rather than a formal manuscript. These submissions have been offered in the spirit of a free ex- change of ideas regarding the imported fire ant and to inform colleagues of the status of current research efforts. In general, these contribu- tions have not been subjected to peer review and, thus, their appearance in these proceedings does not constitute formal publication. Because of the preliminary nature of many of these data, the authors request that contact be made with them for updated information before data in these proceedings are cited. Where manuscripts have been submitted or are in press, the formal publication should be referenced. M. E. Mispagel May 1984 1 WELCOMING REMARKS . DR. S. A. ALFIERI, JR. DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PLANT INDUSTRY FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES IMPORTED FIRE ANT CONFERENCE MARCH 27-28, 1984 On behalf of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, and our Commissioner of Agriculture, Doyle Conner, I welcome you to the 1984 Imported Fire Ant Conference. I trust you will find our facilities adequate here at the Doyle Conner Building. If we can help make your accommodations more suitable during the conference, please do not hesitate to let us know. The problem of the imported fire ant is one that is common to all of us here, and I see we have representation from the nine affected states and Puerto Rico. We hear a great deal about what a nuisance the fire ant is to the people who buy the insecticide-bait distributed by the Division of Plant Industry in the state and federal fire ant program. Besides inflicting very paififul stings, this aggressive ant is an economic pest ot agriculture. The mounds it constructs as it establishes colonies are unsightly and make landscapes difficult to maintain.