A new baited trap for monitoring Solenopsis invicta (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) in Taiwan

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of the newly designed hotdog-baited trap (B-trap) to detect red imported fire ants (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, under field conditions in Taiwan. Among the seven different food lures examined using RIFA, hotdogs were the most preferred by the ants, followed by shrimp crackers and potato chips. Hotdogs were therefore used in the B-trap, and a comparison was made with the traditional pitfall trap (A-trap) to determine their efficacy in trapping RIFA. Field data revealed that the B-trap was more efficient than the A-trap based on its ability to trap more RIFA under field conditions and its ease of use. Thus, it was concluded that the B-trap is an efficient trap for long-term RIFA monitoring in Taiwan.

Establishment and Social Impacts of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Taiwan

“…This facilitates the rapid expansion of RIFA and renders it more difficult to manage. The current monitoring system for RIFA in Taiwan employs potato chips to attract the foraging ants [ 14 ], but it is still not easy to detect an incipient infestation. Dogs are highly sensitive agents for RIFA monitoring in areas that contain a low density of fire ant nests; however, their cost is too high and unaffordable for large-scale applications [ 44 ].…”

“…The toll-free hotline cases reported were further confirmed on-site by NRIFACC members. Active surveillance was performed annually using potato chips to attract foraging ants, as described by Bao [ 13 , 14 ].…”

Red imported fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) cover inaccessible surfaces with particles to facilitate food search and transportation

“…S. invicta has become a significant problem in rural and urban areas because of its ability to sting and it poses a serious health threat (Wang et al ., 2020). Several methods (observation of S. invicta activities and mounds, baiting, and pitfall trapping) have been developed to detect S. invicta (e.g., Bao et al ., 2011; Lu et al ., 2014; Lu et al ., 2015; Wang & Lu, 2017), which are important for the successful management of this pest, especially during the early stage of invasion. However, all of these methods require identification of S. invicta specimens based on morphological characters (e.g., Zeng et al ., 2005), and the public generally lacks knowledge of ant taxonomy.…”

Elucidating how the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) diffused spatiotemporally among different landscapes in north Taiwan, 2008–2015

“…The sample tube (12 cm long ×1.5 cm radius) was a RIFA trap. The tube contained a piece of potato chip on the top (Bao et al, 2011 ). Potato chips are a common method used for monitoring and detecting RIFAs (Bao et al, 2011 ; Lin et al, 2011 ; Stringer et al, 2011 ; Vogt et al, 2003 ; Yang et al, 2009 ), and they are a frequent method used in Taiwan for RIFA sampling (Lin et al, 2011 ; Yang et al, 2009 ).…”