Contamination Route of Leaf-Cutting Worker Ants Analyzed Through a Fat-Soluble Tracer Dye in Toxic Bait

Forti, Luíz Carlos; Camargo, Roberto da Silva; Andrade, Ana Paula Protti de; Catalani, Gabriela Christal; Sousa, Kátia Kaelly Andrade; Silva, A A C; Caldato, Nádia; Ramos, Vânia Maria

doi:10.1007/s13744-018-0652-1

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Toxic baits are commonly used to control LCAs, but dispersion of the insecticide they contain among the members of an LCA colony is poorly understood 7 . Approximately 50% of the workers in a colony are directly contaminated during processing of ant toxic baits in the fungus garden, 8 but the way in which insecticides are dispersed inside the colony is not precisely known.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination routes and mortality of the leaf‐cutting ant Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid through social interactions

Filho

Camargo

Zanúncio³

et al. 2021

Pest Management Science

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BACKGROUND Leaf‐cutting ants (LCAs) of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are important pests of forest plantations, agriculture and livestock. Toxic baits containing the active ingredients fipronil or sulfluramid are the main method used to control LCAs. Insecticide dispersion among members of an LCA colony during control with toxic bait is not well understood. The objective of the study was to determine whether self‐grooming, allogrooming or touching behavior among Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers disperses the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid among members of the colony. The insecticides were topically applied on groups of A. sexdens workers and social interactions between ants with and without insecticide, and group mortality were evaluated. RESULTS Behavioral analysis showed an increase in interaction among LCA workers as the numbers of individuals increased, with touches between workers being the most frequent behavior. The frequency of observed behaviors was higher in groups treated with sulfluramid compared with fipronil. The mortality of groups treated with fipronil was almost twice as high compared with ants treated with sulfluramid. The insecticides are probably dispersed by excessive touching among workers and subsequent self‐grooming and allogrooming. CONCLUSION These behaviors were responsible for the rapid dispersion of insecticides among members of the colony. Corroboration of the hypothesis that social interactions contaminate nestmates is a model for future studies on contamination of ant workers with active insecticide ingredients. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination routes and mortality of the leaf‐cutting ant Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid through social interactions

Filho

Camargo

Zanúncio³

et al. 2021

Pest Management Science

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“…Limited research has used SBB as a tracer in ecological or biological systems (Bagenal 1967; Forti et al. 2019), and to our knowledge, quantitative assessment of SBB through extraction of bioaccumulated SBB via ingestion has not been investigated. Although peak SBB extracted from tissues ranged between 72 and 120 h (excluding Rainbow Trout muscle), the 72‐h time point was selected as ideal for sample collection across all species tested.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative Method Development to Determine Feed Consumption Using a Dye

et al. 2022

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Although there are many methods to determine ingestion and absorption of aquafeeds, none exist that are simple, cost-effective, and quantitative and that can mark fish with a long-lasting, visible indicator. In addition to aquafeed development, selective baits are needed that can be used for aquatic invasive species removal efforts, including for Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. Bait incorporated with a pesticide would allow for selective removal of targeted species. A method to quickly assess multiple bait formulations was developed to expediate development for invasive species management. Incorporation of Sudan Black B (SBB) in aquafeeds at concentrations greater than 75 and 120 mg SBB/kg fish resulted in pigmented external soft tissues of Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, respectively, 24 h after consumption. Visual confirmation of consumption was detectable in the gastrointestinal tract at all concentrations tested (≥10 mg SBB/kg) and quantifiable by absorbance measured at 601 nm from extracted SBB in tissues at concentrations less than those required for visual pigmentation. Although SBB was detectable in multiple tissues, fin and mandible tissues yielded the greatest accuracy in estimating consumption from extracted SBB. Compared with other tissues tested, liver tissue accumulated the highest level of SBB but had the greatest variability, while muscle tissue accumulated little detectable SBB. We used the SBB analytical method to compare consumption of six novel baits that were in the initial developmental stages to produce a palatable bait formulation designed to attract Grass Carp for management control. Overwhelming preference of a rapeseed bait formulation was confirmed using SBB as a tracer of consumption in the laboratory; however, use of SBB under natural conditions may be valuable for answering additional questions. Baits incorporated with SBB allowed for the rapid, simultaneous assessment of multiple formulations and could allow for future refinement of management baits, with results available as quickly as 24-72 h after application.

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“…Information reported in the literature shows that when ants collect insecticide baits, they do not perform trophallaxis, and transport the baits inside the anthill to the chamber where the fungi are located, where contamination of the colony occurs (Mota Filho et al 2021, De Andrade et al 2002, Camargo et al 2017). This fact is strengthened by the knowledge that it is not necessary to release many baits to change the behavior of the colonies (Forti et al 2019). These results strongly suggest that the baits produced in this work can be considered a new option for ant control without presenting the shape deformation or loss of effectiveness very common to the commercial ones when these are submitted to humid climates.…”

Section: Field Bioassaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Alginate-kaolinite beads incorporated with agrochemicals: new baits for leaf-cutting ants control

Duarte,

Leite,

Nobre

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Insect pests such as leaf-cutting ants (genera Atta spp. and Acromyrmex spp.) are a major problem in tropical countries because they can cause significant damage to crops, resulting in substantial production losses. These insects have been controlled chemically using granular baits. Although these granules are cheap, they can pose some problems due to their low resistance to humidity. Therefore, developing new formulations that present environmental resistance, sustained release of the active chemical, and good ant-killing efficacy can expand the management options. This work aimed to produce new baits in bead form to control leaf-cutting ants (Atta sexdens). The beads are derived from the interaction between organic and inorganic materials, synthesized from mixtures of alginate polymer, kaolinite clay, sodium tetraborate, Beauveria bassiana spores, and chlorpyrifos. X-ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis Coupled with Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Mass Spectrometry, and Scanning Electron Microscopy provided important information about the structure and composition of the produced baits. For all baits, the data of the "in vitro" release study of boron were adjusted according to Higuchi's kinetic model. The results of boron leaching in soil columns experiments showed that for some baits, 100% of B leached after 15 days. According to the laboratory and field bioassays results, the beads showed good attractiveness and efficiency in controlling leaf-cutting ants. The synthesis of new beads of alginate-kaolinite containing agrochemicals proved to be a suitable bait with ant-killing potential and efficient for the chemical control of A. sexdens.

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Contamination Route of Leaf-Cutting Worker Ants Analyzed Through a Fat-Soluble Tracer Dye in Toxic Bait

Cited by 7 publications

References 16 publications

Contamination routes and mortality of the leaf‐cutting ant Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid through social interactions

Contamination routes and mortality of the leaf‐cutting ant Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) by the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid through social interactions

Quantitative Method Development to Determine Feed Consumption Using a Dye

Alginate-kaolinite beads incorporated with agrochemicals: new baits for leaf-cutting ants control

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