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M.j. Way - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Significance of the tropical fire ant Solenopsis Geminata (hymenoptera: formicidae) as part of the natural enemy complex responsible for successful biological control of many tropical irrigated rice pests.
Bulletin of entomological research, 2009Co-Authors: M.j. Way, Kong Luen HeongAbstract:The tropical fire ant Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) often nests very abundantly in the earthen banks (bunds) around irrigated rice fields in the tropics. Where some farmers habitually drain fields to the mud for about 3-4 days, the ants can quickly spread up to about 20 m into the fields where they collect food, including pest prey such as the eggs and young of the apple snail Pomacea caniculata (Lamarck) and insects such as lepidopterous larvae and hoppers, notably Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) the brown planthopper (Bph) and green leafhoppers Nephotettix spp. Even in drained fields, the activity of S. Geminata is restricted by rainfall in the wet season. The relatively few ant workers that forage characteristically into drained fields and on to the transplanted clumps of rice plants (hills) kill the normally few immigrant Bph adults but are initially slower acting than other species of the natural enemy complex. However, larger populations of Bph are fiercely attacked and effectively controlled by rapidly recruited ant workers; whereas, in the absence of the ant, the other natural enemies are inadequate. In normal circumstances, there is no ant recruitment in response to initially small populations of immigrant Bph and no evidence of incompatibility between ant foragers and other natural enemies such as spiders. However, when many ants are quickly and aggressively recruited to attack large populations of Bph, they temporarily displace some spiders from infested hills. It is concluded that, in suitable weather conditions and even when insecticides kill natural enemies within the rice field, periodic drainage that enables S. Geminata to join the predator complex is valuable for ant-based control of pests such as snails and Lepidoptera, and especially against relatively large populations of Bph. Drainage practices to benefit ants are fully compatible with recent research, which shows that periodic drainage combats problems of 'yield decline' in intensively irrigated tropical rice and is also needed in South East Asia to make better use of seriously declining water supplies for irrigation.
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The role of ants, especially the fire ant, Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in the biological control of tropical upland rice pests.
Bulletin of entomological research, 2002Co-Authors: M.j. Way, G. Javier, K.l. HeongAbstract:Predatory ants are omnipresent year-round in upland (dryland) rice fields in the Philippines. At least 14 species were identified of which the very aggressive Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) and also Tapinoma sp. nr indicum Forel usually predominated. Some highly aggressive species, notably Pheidolegetonspp. and Bothriomyrmex dalyi Forel were localized. Solenopsis Geminata flourished within many fields, not only during the crop season but also throughout dry season fallows where they remained aggressively predatory. Rice plants infested with brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) were usually found within a few hours and S. Geminata workers were quickly recruited to N. lugens aggregates. Predation was usually incomplete and workers began to solicit the few remaining late instar or adult N. lugens survivors. These oviposited but no second generation nymphs appeared. There was a surge of recruited ants at the time of N. lugens egg hatch when surviving adults were also killed. Initially, S. Geminataalone killed N. lugens aggregates less quickly than with the whole predator complex but ultimately its sole effect was as great as that of the complex. Scattered N. lugens adults, corresponding to numbers that initially colonize rice plants, were eliminated as quickly by S. Geminata alone as by the predator complex. Tapinoma indicum occurring separately or with S. Geminataon the same plant contributed to predation of N. lugens especially on young nymphs. Solenopsis Geminataattacked other insects on rice notably leaffolders of which 97% mortality was recorded when they were exposed throughout egg and larval stages. The role of S. Geminataas a predator of upland rice pests is discussed in the context of known biological control of pests of non-rice dryland crops in the tropics and sub-tropics by S. Geminata and other Solenopsis spp.
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Ants in tropical irrigated rice : distribution and abundance, especially of Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Bulletin of Entomological Research, 1998Co-Authors: M.j. Way, Z. Islam, Kong Luen Heong, R. C. JoshiAbstract:At least 62 species of ants were caught at baits in Philippine rice fields, notably in the bunds (levees) of irrigated rice. Many were relatively uncommon or localized. Apart from the ubiquitous Tapinoma sp. nr indicum Forel the most widespread was the aggressive Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) which was often very abundant in fields with bunds that were disturbed by regular repair. This ant was scarce or absent in relatively undisturbed well-vegetated bunds where Pheidole spp. were sometimes common and where up to 14 different species were recorded in bunds of a single field. Colonies were spaced out along the bunds where foraging territories sometimes overlapped, except for those of the competing dominants S. Geminata and Pheidole spp. In general, S. Geminata retained its overall foraging areas from year to year but those of non-dominant ant species could vary considerably. Bunds of low-lying fields that are deeply flooded in the wet season were recolonized by S. Geminata in the wet season. This ant occurred as separate colonies with workers from nests that differed in degree of mutual aggression. Such aggression was not observed in foraging areas. Solenopsis Geminata and other species foraged into, and nested within, dry fallowed fields after the crop was harvested. In the crop season, they foraged across mud during periods of up to one week when farmers allow irrigated rice fields to drain before flooding. Solenopsis Geminata workers also foraged across the closed crop canopy. At such times they were commonly observed preying on hemipteran and lepidopteran pests and on eggs and young golden snails ( Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck) which are serious rice pests in the Philippines.
Kong Luen Heong - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Significance of the tropical fire ant Solenopsis Geminata (hymenoptera: formicidae) as part of the natural enemy complex responsible for successful biological control of many tropical irrigated rice pests.
Bulletin of entomological research, 2009Co-Authors: M.j. Way, Kong Luen HeongAbstract:The tropical fire ant Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) often nests very abundantly in the earthen banks (bunds) around irrigated rice fields in the tropics. Where some farmers habitually drain fields to the mud for about 3-4 days, the ants can quickly spread up to about 20 m into the fields where they collect food, including pest prey such as the eggs and young of the apple snail Pomacea caniculata (Lamarck) and insects such as lepidopterous larvae and hoppers, notably Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) the brown planthopper (Bph) and green leafhoppers Nephotettix spp. Even in drained fields, the activity of S. Geminata is restricted by rainfall in the wet season. The relatively few ant workers that forage characteristically into drained fields and on to the transplanted clumps of rice plants (hills) kill the normally few immigrant Bph adults but are initially slower acting than other species of the natural enemy complex. However, larger populations of Bph are fiercely attacked and effectively controlled by rapidly recruited ant workers; whereas, in the absence of the ant, the other natural enemies are inadequate. In normal circumstances, there is no ant recruitment in response to initially small populations of immigrant Bph and no evidence of incompatibility between ant foragers and other natural enemies such as spiders. However, when many ants are quickly and aggressively recruited to attack large populations of Bph, they temporarily displace some spiders from infested hills. It is concluded that, in suitable weather conditions and even when insecticides kill natural enemies within the rice field, periodic drainage that enables S. Geminata to join the predator complex is valuable for ant-based control of pests such as snails and Lepidoptera, and especially against relatively large populations of Bph. Drainage practices to benefit ants are fully compatible with recent research, which shows that periodic drainage combats problems of 'yield decline' in intensively irrigated tropical rice and is also needed in South East Asia to make better use of seriously declining water supplies for irrigation.
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Ants in tropical irrigated rice : distribution and abundance, especially of Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Bulletin of Entomological Research, 1998Co-Authors: M.j. Way, Z. Islam, Kong Luen Heong, R. C. JoshiAbstract:At least 62 species of ants were caught at baits in Philippine rice fields, notably in the bunds (levees) of irrigated rice. Many were relatively uncommon or localized. Apart from the ubiquitous Tapinoma sp. nr indicum Forel the most widespread was the aggressive Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) which was often very abundant in fields with bunds that were disturbed by regular repair. This ant was scarce or absent in relatively undisturbed well-vegetated bunds where Pheidole spp. were sometimes common and where up to 14 different species were recorded in bunds of a single field. Colonies were spaced out along the bunds where foraging territories sometimes overlapped, except for those of the competing dominants S. Geminata and Pheidole spp. In general, S. Geminata retained its overall foraging areas from year to year but those of non-dominant ant species could vary considerably. Bunds of low-lying fields that are deeply flooded in the wet season were recolonized by S. Geminata in the wet season. This ant occurred as separate colonies with workers from nests that differed in degree of mutual aggression. Such aggression was not observed in foraging areas. Solenopsis Geminata and other species foraged into, and nested within, dry fallowed fields after the crop was harvested. In the crop season, they foraged across mud during periods of up to one week when farmers allow irrigated rice fields to drain before flooding. Solenopsis Geminata workers also foraged across the closed crop canopy. At such times they were commonly observed preying on hemipteran and lepidopteran pests and on eggs and young golden snails ( Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck) which are serious rice pests in the Philippines.
R. C. Joshi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Ants in tropical irrigated rice : distribution and abundance, especially of Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Bulletin of Entomological Research, 1998Co-Authors: M.j. Way, Z. Islam, Kong Luen Heong, R. C. JoshiAbstract:At least 62 species of ants were caught at baits in Philippine rice fields, notably in the bunds (levees) of irrigated rice. Many were relatively uncommon or localized. Apart from the ubiquitous Tapinoma sp. nr indicum Forel the most widespread was the aggressive Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) which was often very abundant in fields with bunds that were disturbed by regular repair. This ant was scarce or absent in relatively undisturbed well-vegetated bunds where Pheidole spp. were sometimes common and where up to 14 different species were recorded in bunds of a single field. Colonies were spaced out along the bunds where foraging territories sometimes overlapped, except for those of the competing dominants S. Geminata and Pheidole spp. In general, S. Geminata retained its overall foraging areas from year to year but those of non-dominant ant species could vary considerably. Bunds of low-lying fields that are deeply flooded in the wet season were recolonized by S. Geminata in the wet season. This ant occurred as separate colonies with workers from nests that differed in degree of mutual aggression. Such aggression was not observed in foraging areas. Solenopsis Geminata and other species foraged into, and nested within, dry fallowed fields after the crop was harvested. In the crop season, they foraged across mud during periods of up to one week when farmers allow irrigated rice fields to drain before flooding. Solenopsis Geminata workers also foraged across the closed crop canopy. At such times they were commonly observed preying on hemipteran and lepidopteran pests and on eggs and young golden snails ( Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck) which are serious rice pests in the Philippines.
Li-chuan Lai - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Carriers and cutters: size-dependent caste polyethism in the tropical fire ant (Solenopsis Geminata).
Bulletin of entomological research, 2019Co-Authors: Ming-chung Chiu, Li-chuan LaiAbstract:Body size is an important life-history trait in eusocial insects which plays a key role in colony fitness. The division of labour, represented by caste polyethism, correlates with divergent morphological traits. Size polymorphism has been noted in the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis Geminata; however, little is known regarding the differences in the size distributions of workers performing foraging tasks. In the present study, task partitioning was observed in the foraging activities of S. Geminata. Two subgroups among foraging workers of S. Geminata were discovered using the Gaussian mixture model: a large worker group (head width ≥ 0.924 mm) and a small worker group (head width < 0.924 mm). The foraging worker population comprised two distinct groups - 25.64% were large workers and 74.36% were small workers. Larger workers delivered heavier seeds faster than smaller workers, but this difference became less apparent when lighter seeds were being carried. When large prey such as crickets was encountered during foraging, S. Geminata partitioned their tasks into cutting and transportation. The large workers were observed to cut cricket prey into fragments with their longer mandibles, and the small workers then transported these fragments back to the nest. These results present evidence of task partitioning among tropical fire ants, with different tasks being performed by ants of different castes.
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Composition of harvested seeds and seed selection by the invasive tropical fire ant, Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Taiwan
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 2018Co-Authors: Li-chuan Lai, Ming-chung Chiu, Chih-wei TsaiAbstract:Solenopsis Geminata (F.) is an invasive ant that is widely distributed in weedy areas and agricultural fields in Taiwan. Previous studies have found that S. Geminata harvests the seeds of numerous plants. In the present study, we further investigated the composition of harvested seeds in ant nests and seed selection by workers. The seed caches in S. Geminata nests sampled in eight areas in Taiwan suggest that the seeds harvested by workers were diverse and belonged to 52 plant species in 17 plant families. Twenty-three species (44%) belong to the family Gramineae, and most of the seeds weighed from 0.02 to 2.29 mg, which might suggest that these are the main seeds harvested by S. Geminata from their habitat. Ten common species with similar seed weights were used to compare the seed preferences of workers from two experimental sites. The results suggest that the seed preference was different between the two experimental sites. The seeds of Casuarina equisetifolia showed the most obvious difference in seed removal speed, which might suggest that S. Geminata potentially prefers the encountered seed species in the habitat. The various plant species in the ant nests and seed preference suggest that fire ants easily accept newly encountered plant species. As more than half of the plant species (52%) and the total seed number (63%) belonged to exotic species, the role of S. Geminata might be negative because it tends to harvest exotic seeds and has a high opportunity to improve the establishment of exotic seedlings.
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Intraspecific and interspecific aggressive interactions between two species of fire ants, Solenopsis Geminata and S. invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in Taiwan
Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology, 2015Co-Authors: Li-chuan Lai, Kuo-hsun HuaAbstract:Abstract Fire ants represent a considerable hazard for humans and animals living in areas where they are introduced. Currently, two species of fire ant, Solenopsis Geminata (Fabricius) and both social forms of S . invicta Buren, have been accidentally introduced into Taiwan. In this study, we conducted a series of behavioral assays to examine the aggressive response of two species of fire ants, using individual and group assays. Workers of S . Geminata , monogyne S . invicta , and polygyne S . invicta achieved low mean scores for their responses in conspecific interactions, but did exhibit significantly high aggressive responses in heterospecific interactions. The results demonstrate that 51.7% residents and 23.1% intruders played first attacker roles in individual aggression assay. After the interspecific individual aggression tests, the results show that polygyne S . invicta had the lowest mortality among the three fire ant forms. In interspecific group aggression tests, S . Geminata experienced the highest mortality compared with that for both social forms of S . invicta . The results in this study can be used to partially explain the behavioral responses and competitive ability of two species of fire ants in aggression bioassays.
E. David Morgan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Contents of the hypertrophied postpharyngeal gland of workers and soldiers of the fire ant Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Myrmicinae)
Sociobiology, 2006Co-Authors: Athula B. Attygallc, Gulab N. Jham, E. David MorganAbstract:The postpharyngeal glands of Solenopsis Geminata workers and soldiers contain a variable mixture of C 20 to C 35 hydrocarbons. The soldier caste have much larger glands and correspondingly more contents. The soldiers differ from workers in containing small amounts of polyunsaturated hydrocarbons and more branched alkanes, but the percentage composition of the workers from different colonies also shows considerable variation. (Z) -9-tricosene and tricosane are important components of all examples, but the major compound in five colonies examined varied from eicosane to (Z)-9-pentacosene.
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Behavioral and Chemical Analysis of Venom Gland Secretion of Queens of the Ant Solenopsis Geminata
Journal of Chemical Ecology, 2001Co-Authors: Leopoldo Cruz-lópez, Julio C. Rojas, Ricardo De La Cruz-cordero, E. David MorganAbstract:Bioassays in a Y-tube olfactometer showed that workers of Solenopsis Geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were attracted to venom gland extracts of queens. Gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry analysis of individual glands of queens of S. Geminata showed that the secretion is composed mainly of a large amount of 2-alkyl-6-methylpiperidine alkaloids and a tiny amount of a δ-lactone and a α-pyrone, which have been earlier identified as components of the queen attractant pheromone of Solenopsis invicta Buren. However, additional small amounts of a mixture of sesquiterpenes and pentadecene were found. The possible function of the sesquiterpenoid compounds is discussed.