Retrieval of Granular Bait by the Argentine Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Effect of Clumped Versus Scattered Dispersion Patterns

Abstract

Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr), use mass recruitment foraging, with clumped prey items being retrieved more efficiently than dispersed prey. However, in prior field experiments, granular baits, whether dispensed in containers or broadly scattered, had a similar impact on Argentine ant populations. In laboratory experiments, granular insecticide bait was encountered faster by Argentine ant workers and more granules were initially returned to the colony when the granules were scattered versus clumped. After 2 h, granules from both dispersion patterns were retrieved equally. Our results suggest that Argentine ant colonies adjust their foraging patterns to resources of different quality (prey versus bait). Also, foraging activity patterns for bait in the laboratory are consistent with prior field results demonstrating no efficacy advantages to discrete granular bait placements.

The Attractiveness of Toxic Bait is not Always Accompanied by Increased Mortality in Laboratory Colonies of Argentine Ants,Linepithema humile(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

“…Solid baits are thought to be more effective mainly due to the handling time required (Soproeno & Rust 2004;Cooper et al 2008). Grain size is thus important in bait uptake and should be small enough for ants to easily collect and take back into the nest to maximise efficacy in the field (Krushelnycky & Reimer 1998a, b;Silverman & Roulston 2003). The effectiveness of hydramethylnon bait B may well be attributed to particle size (Table 1).…”

Liquid baits control Argentine ants sustainably in coastal vineyards

“…Therefore, while granular protein baits are not heavily foraged by Argentine ant workers, sugar water laced with insecticide is an excellent method for delivering small but lethal amounts of toxicant to the colony (Silverman and Roulston 2001). Liquid baits exploit the social behavior of ants to distribute toxicant to colony members, including larvae and queens (Silverman and Roulston 2003). Argentine ants also use persistent trail pheromones to recruit colony members to food resources, resulting in fidelity to bait-station locations (Aron et al 1989;Vega and Rust 2001).…”