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Research Priorities in California

Research Priorities in California. Western Region IPM Ant Workshop. Urban Pest Ants of California*. Argentine ant 25.9% Southern fire ant 19.3% Odorous house ant 11.1% Carpenter ants 9.5% Other species 34.2%

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Research Priorities in California

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  1. Research Priorities in California Western Region IPM Ant Workshop

  2. Urban Pest Ants of California* • Argentine ant 25.9% • Southern fire ant 19.3% • Odorous house ant 11.1% • Carpenter ants 9.5% • Other species 34.2% *Knight, R.L., and M.K. Rust. 1990. The urban ants of California with distribution notes of imported species. Southwestern Entomologist 15: 167-178.

  3. Urban Pest Ants of San Diego* • Argentine ants 84.5% • Harvester ants 5.2% • Crazy ants 1.8% • Little black ants 1.6% • Southern fire ants 1.3% • Velvety tree ants 1.0% • Other species 4.6% *Field, H.C., W.E. Evans, R. Hartley, L.D. Hansen, and J.H. Klotz. 2007. A survey of structural ant pests in the southwestern USA. Sociobiology 49: 151-164.

  4. Lloyd Pest Control of San Diego • ≈ 35,000 general pest accounts • Major portion of this business is Argentine ant control

  5. Mountain Communities • San Bernardino Mts. • No Argentine ants • Other ant pests

  6. Velvety Tree Ants Liometopum luctuosum

  7. Red Imported Fire Ants

  8. Argentine Ants • Major priority in CA • Structural Pest Control • Homeowners • Major research focus • UCR urban program* *Vega, S.J., and M.K. Rust. 2001. The Argentine ant – a significant invasive species in agricultural, urban and natural environments. Sociobiology 37: 3-25.

  9. Turning Point for PMP’s • Approval in CA • December 10, 2002

  10. Impact on Structural Pest Control • Lloyd Pest Control • Callbacks • 2002: 60,000 • 2003: 55,000 • 2004: 39,000 • 16,000 fewer • Estimated savings = $500,000.00

  11. Fipronil* • Slow-acting • Non-repellent • Horizontal transfer *Soeprono, A.M., and M.K. Rust. 2004. Effect of horizontal transfer of barrier insecticides to control Argentine ants. J. Econ. Entomol. 97: 1675-1681. *Soeprono, A.M., and M.K. Rust. 2004. Effect of delayed toxicity of chemical barriers to control Argentine ants. J. Econ. Entomol. 97: 2021-2028.

  12. Revolutionized Ant Control • Most effective treatment to date in CA • Use pattern (AI) • 2003: 13,516 lbs. • 2005: 66,678 lbs. • Appearance in water runoff from urban areas

  13. Research Priority • Preservation of insecticides • Developing control strategies that mitigate runoff without sacrificing efficacy

  14. Evaluating Control Strategies for Argentine Ants Around Homes Methods developed by Mike Rust, whose Laboratory team coordinates the summer ant control program at UCR

  15. Estimating Population Levels of Ants • Sugar water consumption over 24 hours • 10 vials near house • 10 vials in yard • Reierson et al. 1998* • 0.3 mg per visit to calculate average number of ant visits/vial near and away from the house over 24 hours *Monitoring with sugar water to determine the efficacy of treatments to control Argentine ants, Linepithema humile (Mayr): 78-82. Proc. Natl. Conf. Urban Entomol. 1998, San Diego, CA.

  16. Monitoring • Before and after treatments applied • Treatments replicated at 5 homes

  17. Standard Treatment with Termidor • Backpack sprayer • 3-4 gallons spray • 0.06% fipronil • Around perimeter • 1 ft. x 1 ft. • Along edges • Driveway • Sidewalks • Other areas

  18. Termidor Spray 2007 2006 35% 65% 77% 81% 93% 97%

  19. Spot Treatment • One gallon of Termidor • Only active ant trails • Capitalize on horizontal transfer of fipronil

  20. Termidor Spot Treatment 2006 2007 40% 28% 46% 90%

  21. Talstar Spray (0.06% Bifenthrin) 2007 24% 71% 81% 3-4 gal. spray around perimeter of house + edges of sidewalks, driveway, and other areas ants tend to trail

  22. Research Priority • Liquid bait development • Field trials • 2006: Gourmet (1% borate) • 2007: Vitis (0.001% imidacloprid)

  23. Liquid Baits Gourmet Vitis 73% 83%

  24. Vitis • Further evaluations by Lloyd Pest Control • Cost analysis: baits vs. sprays • Potential use by PMP’s

  25. Survey of Homeowners • 95% rated the treatments as “very effective” • Excellent products and strategies • To ensure future use • Use judiciously

  26. 2008Refinements of Spray Applications • More target-specific • Less likely to runoff • Testing • Pin-stream vs. fan spray • No spray zones • Within 15 ft. of street • Within 5 ft. of driveway or sidewalks • Evaluated for efficacy and runoff

  27. Film production by Cheryl Wilen and Ray Lucas

  28. 2009Long-Term Control Programs • With Termidor and Talstar • Two spot applications • May and August • Monitor efficacy and runoff

  29. Combination Spot-Spray + Baits

  30. Virtual Baiting by Choe and Rust • Bait as an attractant • To lure ants over a fipronil-treated surface • Environmentally-friendly, targeted ant control

  31. Goals • Preserve the use of fipronil and other compounds in ant control • Provide new control strategies with little environmental impact

  32. Evaluate Homeowner Products? • Determine how to use most effectively • Home Defense • Liquid borate baits • Cedar mulch • Caulking • Homeowners contribute to runoff • Require guidelines for safe and effective use of these products

  33. New Research Initiative • Biology and control of velvety tree ants • Liometopum occidentale • Liometopum luctuosum • Misidentified as carpenter ants • Excavate wood and insulation • Polymorphic • Mesosoma with smooth even profile • Significance as structural pests unknown

  34. Survey • Document status as WDO’s • Pest control companies in foothill and mountain communities • Cooperator in San Bernardino Mts. • Laurel Hansen in PNW • Need other cooperators

  35. Survey • Samples of ants • Location of infestations • Damage • Treatment strategies • Velveties • Carpenter ants • Odorous house ants • Other species causing problems

  36. Comparative Study • Colony dynamics • Colony size? Reported to be large • Mark-recapture studies • Colony extraction • Aggression tests • Define territory • Number of satellite nests • Colony multiplication and queen numbers? • Budding, mating swarms, or both? • If mating flights, when? • Mono- or polygyne?

  37. Comparative Study • Ecology • Habitat differences • L. occidentale: sea level – 4,800 ft. • Deciduous trees • L. luctuosum: higher elevation up to 8,000 ft. • Conifers • Areas of overlap • Competitive displacement?

  38. Comparative Study • Foraging behavior • Foraging rhythms? • Diet • Tend hemipterans • Predators • Scavengers

  39. Control • Bait development • Granular • Liquids • Use choice tests • For control • For monitoring efficacy of treatments • Current control methods • Barrier sprays

  40. Conclusion • Research priorities • Overall pest status in CA • Argentine ants • Urban population in mts. • Different set of ants

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