Ants and their Control Role of ants

Transcription

1 Ants and their Control Role of ants Dominant invertebrate group in most ecological systems Predators and competitors Scavengers nutrient recycling Seed harvesting (and seed dispersal) Nesting activities affect soil structure and drainage Farm aphids and scale insects Prey to other invertebrates, reptiles, birds and mammals

2 Ants and their Control Ants in orchards Interfere with effective operation of reticulation systems Farm scale insects, mealybugs and aphids and interfere with the biological control of these pests with resultant sooty mould formation on leaves Feed on nectar in flowers possibly reducing pollination and fruit set Short-circuit of electrical equipment Nuisance to workers Control other insect pests via predation

3 Ants and their Control Managing pest ants successfully Correct Identification Knowledge of biology of pest ant Knowledge of management options effective against the particular pest species

4 Ants and their Control Correct identification of ants 1,275 named and described ant species in Australia (1999) but maybe in excess of 4,000 actual species present Less than 2 dozen species are common pests In south-west Western Australia, 5 species responsible for >95% of the recorded complaints

5 Myrmicinae Big-headed ant Body text Dolichoderinae Argentine ant - White-footed house ant Formicinae Yellow Crazy Ant

6 Headings Body text Myrmeciinae Bulldog ant

7 Ants and their Control Management options for pest ants Hygiene Physical exclusion physical barriers on tree trunks Habitat modification skirt pruning and under-canopy vegetation control Insecticides -Dusts - Granules - Sprays -Baits

8 Ants and their Control Insecticides implications of type and formulation Level of repellency Emulsifiable concentrates (EC s) Wettable Powders (WP s)/water dispersible granules (WG) Microencapsulated (ME) Capsule Suspension (CS s) Suspension Concentrates (SC s) Baits

9 B B B B B B B B B B B Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ Ñ H H H H H H H H H H H C C C C C C C C C C C J J J J J J J J J J J F F F F F F F F F F F Days Post Treatment B Permethrin Ñ Microencapsulated Permethrin H Diazinon C Microencapsulated Diazinon J Fenvalerate 3 Chlorpyrifos F Control

10 Matrix - attractive to target pest ant - suitable formulation (liquid-base generally) Baits Ants and their Control Actively collected by the pest ant use the ant s strengths of numbers and work-rate against itself Distributed within the colony to all colony members Targeted with reduced impacts on non-target organisms Requirements Active ingredient - non-repellent at initial high concentration in matrix - delayed action at the initial concentration - fatal at levels rest of colony exposed to (1/100th) - flat dose-response curve

11 Ants and their Control Ant biology important to baiting All adult ants are liquid feeders Liquid food is filtered and then stored in the crop (located in the abdomen) Liquid food is shared between workers and to the queen/s (trophallaxis) Solid food can be consumed by ant larvae Ant larvae can provide liquid foods which are fed on by workers and queen/s

12 Adult ants are liquid feeders

13 Ants and their Control What management option for which situation? Barrier prevent ants from gaining access residual repellent Control of the population itself - targeting workers? - targeting queen/s? Significance of choice Repellent chemicals (type and formulation) are effective barriers but deliver reduced mortality of the ant population Non-repellent chemicals fail as barriers but can achieve a high level of ant colony mortality

14 Big-headed ant most common urban pest in Perth

15 Big-headed ant

16 Initial bait trial against Singapore ants

17 Spreading bait via granular fertiliser spreader

18 Argentine Ant Ants and their Control Multiple queens (polygynous) Multiple interconnected nests (polydomous/unicolonial) Nest formation by budding only Single worker caste (monomorphic) Honeydew primary food (farm aphids, scale insects), nectar, predator and scavenger Displaces other ant species

19 Argentine Ant

20 Argentine Ant

21 Argentine Ant - opportunist

22 Argentine Ant Control Ants and their Control Control food supply to the ants via control of scale insects and hygiene Skirt pruning and under-canopy vegetation control Apply repellent pesticides directly to trunks (to fork and completely around) or around base of trunks (granular formulations) Treat obvious nests and trails eg along reticulation pipes - with less repellent insecticides No effective bait commercially available yet (except NZ)

23 Ants can cause electrical problems Singapore Ant

24 Invasive Ant Species and their Control Odorous garden ants Single and Multiple queen nests (monogynous/polygynous) Multiple nest entrances Nest formation by flight and budding Single worker caste (monomorphic) Honeydew primary food (farm aphids, scale insects), nectar and scavenger Nests in ground/soil

25 Odorous garden ants

26 Invasive Ant Species and their Control Odorous garden ants Control Control food supply to the ants via control of scale insects and hygiene Skirt pruning and under-canopy vegetation control Apply repellent pesticides directly to trunks (to fork and completely around) or around base of trunks (granular formulations) Treat obvious nests and trails eg along reticulation pipes - with less repellent insecticides

27 Ants and their Control Meat ants Single and Multiple queen nests (monogynous/polygynous) Multiple nest entrances and nests, sometimes hundreds of metres apart, interconnected by cleared highways Nest formation by flight and budding Single worker caste (monomorphic) Honeydew primary food (farm aphids, scale insects), nectar, predator and scavenger Nests in ground (clay soil preferred) nest complexes raised, bare and in open sunny positions (heat sinks)

28 Meat ants

29 Meat ants

30 Meat ants Control Ants and their Control Direct treatment of nests with agitation Treat highways connecting nests Ripping of nests Repeat treatments may be required Long term management by tree planting to shade favoured nest areas

31 Quarantine/Biosecurity International Quarantine: a 3-phased continuum Pre-border, Border and Post-Border phases Farm biosecurity can take a similar approach Ants and other pests can be introduced via nursery stock or machinery Ensure supplier is clean Inspect new stock on arrival Awareness of new insects or unusual activity within the orchard check it out

32 Quarantine/Biosecurity Exotic pest ant species to look out for: Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) currently a $200M eradication underway in Queensland Little Fire Ants (LFA) recent detection in Queensland Tropical Fire Ants (TFA) present in the NT

33 Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) Headings Body text Report to State DPI s

34 Little Fire Ant/Electric Ant Wasmannia auropunctata Headings Body text Report to State DPI s

35 Tropical Fire Ant Headings Body text Report to DAFWA