Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Olivia E. Anastasio, Kaitlyn A. Mathis, Monique J. Rivera
Summary: The Argentine ant, an invasive species in the United States, disrupts natural ecosystems by displacing native ant species and associating with phloem-feeding insects. The presence of another invasive pest, Asian Citrus psyllid, as well as edge complexity, can impact ant activity rates and species richness within citrus groves. Understanding the spatial patterns of these pests can aid in future management practices for controlling their populations.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Antoine Felden, Jana Dobelmann, James W. W. Baty, Joseph McCormick, John Haywood, Philip J. J. Lester
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of manipulating the immune system of a biological invader using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to increase susceptibility to pathogens. While the immune pathway disruption resulted in changes in viral loads, it did not consistently increase microbial infections or alter ant abundance in the field.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Matthew T. Kamiyama, Kenji Matsuura, Tsuyoshi Yoshimura, Chin-Cheng Scotty Yang
Summary: The study found that Japanese acrobat ants have a certain impact on the survival rate of Halyomorpha halys nymphs, reducing their numbers in their native range. However, they may need to act in conjunction with other natural enemies to cause mortality in different growth stages of H. halys.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Benning Le, Hoeun Park, Kathleen Campbell, Michael K. Rust, Chow-Yang Lee, Dong-Hwan Choe
Summary: Due to their mutualistic relationship with plant pests, the Argentine ant is considered a major pest in subtropical fruit orchards and vineyards. Liquid baiting using hydrogel materials has been demonstrated as an effective method to suppress the Argentine ant populations. In this study, boric acid incorporated in a calcium alginate hydrogel effectively killed Argentine ant workers, and the preservative potassium sorbate did not impact the efficacy of boric acid.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anjana Pisharody Unni, Sajad Hussain Mir, T. P. Rajesh, U. Prashanth Ballullaya, Thomas Jose, Palatty Allesh Sinu
Summary: The study found that ants have a negative impact on pollinators, with invasive ants exerting greater interference competition on pollinators than native ants. This indicates that ants pose a threat to plant-pollinator mutualism, especially in specialist pollination plants.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Irene Castaneda, Elsa Bonnaud, Franck Courchamp, Gloria Luque
Summary: Nest establishment is a crucial stage in the ant life cycle, with the number of queens influencing both queen and worker behavior during and after this process. The study found that having six queens resulted in faster entry of queens into the nest, more workers inside the nest during establishment, and fewer workers engaged in nest tasks after establishment. Differences in response were observed between invasive Argentine ants and native Mediterranean ants.
Article
Agronomy
Maria Schulze-Sylvester, Francisco Sylvester, Victor Manuel Torres, Carolina Ivon Paris, Jose Antonio Corronca
Summary: Leafcutter ants are a major pest in Argentine vineyards, but their damage to vine plants has not been sufficiently quantified. This study demonstrates that the Argentine ant Linepithema humile can act as a plant bodyguard against a leafcutter ant, reducing the damage inflicted on the plants. The use of artificial sugar sources can enhance this defense service.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Evelyne Baratelli, Chad Tillberg, Andy Suarez, Sean Menke, Ida Naughton, David Holway
Summary: The trophic position of Argentine ants decreases after invasion, but the extent of this decrease may vary over time or reflect transient ecological processes.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ivan Milosavljevic, David J. W. Morgan, Rachael E. Massie, Mark S. Hoddle
Summary: The study found that in southern California, climate and ants play important roles in population regulation of an invasive citrus pest, Diaphorina citri, and its parasitoid Tamarixia radiata. The parasitoid has a significant impact on the population density of the citrus pest, with citrus growth cycles also influencing their numbers and parasitism rates.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Thomas Wagner, Tomer J. Czaczkes
Summary: This study reveals that ants avoid food odours associated with corpses, which may have implications for pest control strategies.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Entomology
Daniel R. Suiter, Benjamin M. Gochnour, Jacob B. Holloway, Karen M. Vail
Summary: Ants can be major pests in urban and suburban environments, with traditional control methods relying on chemical insecticides that can harm the environment. Research on alternative, low-impact ant control strategies has gained attention to reduce human exposure to harmful insecticides. New approaches include the use of essential oils, mass trapping, and altering ant behavior without liquid broadcast applications of EPA-registered insecticides.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paloma Alvarez-Blanco, Xim Cerda, Abraham Hefetz, Raphael Boulay, Alejandro Berto-Moran, Carmen Diaz-Paniagua, Alain Lenoir, Johan Billen, H. Christoph Liedtke, Kamlesh R. Chauhan, Ganga Bhagavathy, Elena Angulo
Summary: Invasive Argentine ants, despite lacking a functional sting, deploy defensive compounds against competitors and adversaries that can be toxic to native amphibians. Through experiments, researchers found that these ants can spray venom containing iridomyrmecin onto juvenile amphibians, causing toxic effects in the brain, kidney, and liver tissues, which vary depending on the species. This highlights the potential threat these ants pose to amphibians and underscores the need for further exploration of their impacts within their invasive range.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kelsey A. McCalla, Ivan Milosavljevic, Mark S. Hoddle
Summary: A multi-season liquid baiting program was successful in controlling the population of Argentine ants and associated hemipteran pests. Ant activity decreased significantly in treated trees, leading to a significant decrease in the infestation of hemipteran pests.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Juan Pablo Llopart, Paloma Alvarez-Blanco, Lucia Moreira-Demarco, Alok Bang, Elena Angulo, Raul Maneyro
Summary: The venom of the globally invasive Argentine ant has lethal effects on some amphibian species in the invaded range. This study investigates the effects of the toxin on cohabiting amphibians in the ant's native range to test the novel weapons hypothesis. The results show that the venom affects all amphibian species, regardless of their myrmecophagy, highlighting the potential impact of the Argentine ant on threatened amphibian conservation.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jonghyun Park, Chan-Ho Park, Jongsun Park
Summary: The study identified the mitochondrial genome of Linepithema humile collected in South Korea, revealing new SNPs and INDELs compared to the previous genome, as well as a different haplotype. Phylogenetic analysis was consistent with previous studies within the tribe Leptomyrmecini, but not between other tribes in the subfamily Dolichoderinae.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Nicola J. Sullivan, Vaughn A. Bell, Ruth C. Butler, Roger Wallis, Remya Ramesh, D. Srinivasa Reddy, Andrew M. Twidle, Barry Bunn, C. Rikard Unelius, Lee-Anne M. Manning, David M. Suckling
Summary: Mealybugs are phloem-feeding insects that transmit the economically important Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) in New Zealand vineyards. Synthetic sex pheromones have been developed as monitoring tools for some mealybug species. This study presents the development of a combined P. longispinus and P. calceolariae pheromone lure, which remained active in the field for 90 days and showed no negative effects on male mealybug trap catch. The combined lure provides an efficient monitoring tool for the New Zealand viticultural industry.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Mark Anderson, Stephen Hartley, Heiko U. Wittmer
Summary: The Cook Strait click beetle is only found in five offshore island refugia in New Zealand. This study estimated their elevational distribution and population density on Te Pakeka/Maud Island. The results showed that the beetles were present across the island's elevational range, but population densities were highest at lower elevations. Habitat assessments indicated that the abundance of mahoe and the presence of daytime refugia positively influenced beetle counts. This study provides important population estimates and insights for conservation management.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Antoine Felden, Jana Dobelmann, James W. W. Baty, Joseph McCormick, John Haywood, Philip J. J. Lester
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of manipulating the immune system of a biological invader using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to increase susceptibility to pathogens. While the immune pathway disruption resulted in changes in viral loads, it did not consistently increase microbial infections or alter ant abundance in the field.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Daria A. Erastova, Kristal E. Cain, Josie A. Galbraith, Yolanda van Heezik, Margaret C. Stanley
Summary: This study investigated the behavior of sugar-water feeder-associated birds in two cities with different climates and found that season, city, and sugar concentration influenced bird foraging activity and aggression. However, feeder presence and sugar concentration did not affect garden bird species richness or abundance.
EMU-AUSTRAL ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Bradley S. Case, Adam S. Forbes, Margaret C. Stanley, Graham Hinchliffe, David A. Norton, Febyanna Suryaningrum, Rebecca Jarvis, David Hall, Hannah L. Buckley
Summary: The incorporation of native vegetation into New Zealand's agricultural ecosystems is a nature-based solution for addressing environmental issues, biodiversity loss, and climate change. To achieve this at scale, a systematic framework is needed for identifying and assessing opportunities for native revegetation that align with national priorities, support landscape-scale processes, and consider farm-scale decision-making. In this forum discussion, we outline the requirements for a spatial decision support system and address the challenges associated with implementing effective and targeted native revegetation across the country, with the goal of engaging scientists, policymakers, landowners, and communities in the restoration of biodiverse and resilient agroecosystems.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Margaret C. Stanley, Ellery J. McNaughton, Rachel M. Fewster, Josie A. Galbraith
Summary: The global pet trade facilitates the introduction of species into new environments. By analyzing online listings of lost pets, the impact of the pet trade on the establishment of introduced bird species in New Zealand was assessed. Escaped parrot species were identified as a high-risk invasion pathway, and banning their sale was suggested as a preventative measure to reduce potential impact.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Stephanie Tomscha, Bethanna Jackson, Rubianca Benavidez, Mairead de Roiste, Stephen Hartley, Julie Deslippe
Summary: Percentage-based targets for conservation and restoration lack evidence, especially for multiple ecosystem services. Decision-making scales can also pose challenges for implementing restoration targets. This study examined these challenges in the Ruamahanga Basin, New Zealand, where most wetlands have been drained. Restoration scenarios were created at two spatial scales: basin-scale and subcatchment-scale. The results showed that most of the variability in ecosystem service outcomes is found at fine spatial scales, which has implications for policy mechanisms and spatially-targeted management of ecosystem services.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Gerardo Roselli, Gianfranco Anfora, David Maxwell Suckling, Valerio Mazzoni, Valentina Vanoni, Loris Menegotti, Lorenzo Fellin, Marco Valerio Rossi Stacconi, Claudio Ioriatti, Massimo Cristofaro
Summary: This study investigated the use of X-ray irradiation to sterilize overwintering males of the brown marmorated stink bug for use in a sterile insect technique (SIT) program. The results showed that the irradiation did not significantly affect the longevity or fecundity of the treated adults, and the hatching rate of eggs from females that had mated with irradiated males was less than 5%. Behavioral bioassays also indicated that the irradiation did not have a significant impact on the quality of the sterile males.
Article
Ecology
Philip J. Lester, David O'Sullivan, George L. W. Perry
Summary: Gene drives have limited effects on the eradication of wasp pests, but they offer long-term and cost-effective methods of pest suppression and reduce predation pressure on native species.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Entomology
M. W. F. Howse, J. Haywood, P. J. Lester
Summary: Social insects are challenging to eradicate and targeting them for eradication has a much lower success rate compared to non-social insects. Success is higher in more recent eradication attempts and decreases as the duration of the attempt goes on. Eradication is more successful on islands and when targeting species with a broader host range. Effective control treatments, management, monitoring systems, and social and political support are important for successful eradication.
Article
Entomology
Kiran Jonathan Horrocks, Gonzalo Andres Avila, Gregory Ian Holwell, David Maxwell Suckling
Summary: As trade globalisation increases, arthropod pests are spreading, making eradication an important approach in avoiding long-term management costs. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and classical biological control (CBC) have been used for environmentally friendly eradication, and combining these techniques may have a synergistic impact on pest populations. This study investigated the behaviour and fitness of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis after irradiation-induced sterilization, and found that there were no detrimental effects on its efficacy.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Gerardo Roselli, Gianfranco Anfora, Raffaele Sasso, Livia Zapponi, Sergio Musmeci, Alessia Cemmi, David Maxwell Suckling, Kim Alan Hoelmer, Claudio Ioriatti, Massimo Cristofaro
Summary: The brown marmorated stink bug is a invasive pest species that is widely distributed and highly aggressive. Chemical insecticides are not effective in managing this pest due to its high mobility and ability to develop resistance. Classical biological control, specifically egg parasitoids, is being considered as an alternative approach. The study evaluated the performance of three types of sterile sentinel eggs as a suitable substrate for the oviposition and larval development of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zachary T. Carter, Ellery J. McNaughton, Murray P. Fea, Ian Horner, Kerryn Johnson, Sarah Killick, Jessica McLay, Brian Shields, Margaret C. Stanley, Alistair S. Glen
Summary: Trained detection dogs were found to be able to effectively discriminate the odor of target Phytophthora species from other non-target odors, which is crucial for protecting vulnerable plants and ecosystems. The dogs showed a sensitivity of 68.6% and precision of 52.2% towards the target scent. This study suggests that detection dogs can serve as a reliable initial detection tool within a broader biosecurity framework.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jana Dobelmann, Antoine Felden, Philip J. Lester
Summary: The globally invasive Argentine ant was found to significantly increase the viral loads of deformed wing virus (DWV) and black queen cell virus in honey bees. However, microsporidian and trypanosomatid infections were not affected by ant invasion. Viral spillback from ants and ant attacks could increase infection levels in bees and pose a stressor to bee colonies. These findings highlight the overlooked effect of species invasions on pathogen dynamics.
Article
Virology
Zoe E. Smeele, James W. Baty, Philip J. Lester
Summary: This study tested the effectiveness of DWV-specific dsRNA sequences in reducing DWV loads and symptoms in honey bees. The results showed that parasitized bees had higher DWV levels, but DWV-dsRNA treatment did not significantly reduce DWV loads and symptoms in mini-hive reared bees, possibly due to sequence divergence between bees and varroa. The study also found that DWV-dsRNA treatment did not have a significant impact on Varroa mites' RNAi response or DWV levels.
