Article
Entomology
Pradeep Paudel, Farhan Mahmood Shah, Dileep Kumar Guddeti, Abbas Ali, Jian Chen, Ikhlas A. Khan, Xing-Cong Li
Summary: Imported fire ants are significant pests in the United States, and their control heavily relies on synthetic insecticides. However, plant-derived compounds carvacrol and thymol have shown potent repellency against the ants, suggesting their potential as safe and environmentally friendly alternatives for fire ant control.
Article
Plant Sciences
Eduardo Soares Calixto, Denise Lange, Judith Bronstein, Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi, Kleber Del-Claro
Summary: Plants allocate defenses to decrease costs and maximize benefits against herbivores. Optimal Defense Theory predicts that continuously expressed defenses are expected in structures of high value, while induced defenses are expected in structures of low value. This study showed that extrafloral nectar production and ant recruitment varied according to the plant structure on which EFNs are located, supporting predictions from ODT.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jingwen Ye, Jun Li
Summary: This study analyzed the lysine succinylation modification in Solenopsis invicta and compared it with lysine acetylation. The results demonstrated that succinylation plays a vital part in various biological processes in this invasive pest.
Article
Plant Sciences
Hong-Xia Zhou, Richard Milne, Peng Cui, Wen-Jing Gu, Meng-Fang Hu, Xin-Yue Liu, Yue-Qin Song, Jun Cao, Hong-Guang Zha
Summary: Floral nectar (FN) and extrafloral nectar (EFN) in Hemerocallis citrina differ in secretion, composition, and ecological function. The EFN pathway could be an important route for neonicotinoids to enter the wild food chain, and should be considered when evaluating the environmental risks of other systemic insecticides.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Yongqing Tian, Zhixiang Zhang
Summary: This study evaluated the toxicity of the ethanol extract from the roots of Sophora flavescens against the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). Two active compounds, matrine and sophocarpine, were isolated and found to significantly reduce the foraging response and food consumption of the fire ant workers. These findings suggest that S. flavescens roots have the potential to be used as a natural control agent for the fire ant.
Article
Agronomy
Louise Lerault, Elsa Clavel, Cinthya M. Villegas, Nuri Cabrera, Bruno Jaloux, Manuel Plantegenest, Blas Lavandero
Summary: This study tested the effects of intercropping with companion plants on aphids and their parasitoids in a plum orchard. The results showed that intercropping provided multiple alternative host species and extrafloral nectar, but there was no general association between intercrop type and aphid incidence. The study suggests that providing effective sources of food and alternative hosts for parasitoids does not increase aphid mortality.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tian-yi Zhang, Chang-wei Gong, Jian Pu, An-chun Peng, Xu-yang Li, Yu-meng Wang, Xue-gui Wang
Summary: Solenopsis invicta is a major problem in southern China, causing significant damage to the local ecological environment. A study found that the tolerance of S. invicta to flonicamid varied among different colonies, and the P450 enzyme played a crucial role in this tolerance.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ting Xiong, Si-quan Ling, Jia-li Liu, Xin-nian Zeng
Summary: This article studied the toxicity of Fluralaner against S. invicta and the involvement of metabolism-related enzymes in the metabolism process of Fluralaner. The results showed that Fluralaner was effective against S. invicta through topical application and feeding application, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and carboxylesterase might be involved in the detoxification of Fluralaner.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mingxia He, Tianyi Zhang, Qiushu Chen, Changwei Gong, Jian Pu, Jizhi Yang, Zhiwei Lu, Gehong Su, Chun Wu, Yanying Wang, Mengmeng Sun, Hanbing Rao, Xuegui Wang
Summary: The annual invasion of Solenopsis invicta has caused significant ecological damage, but the improper use of prevention and control agents has led to the development of pesticide tolerance. This study developed carbon nanotube grafted hexagonal star nanoparticles NiCoNC, which showed promising insecticidal efficacy. The combination of NiCoNC with S. invicta tissue fluid exhibited significant ROS scavenging ability and enhanced the insecticidal activity of the insecticide by entering the intestine. Overall, the research led to the development of a novel nano-enzyme that can significantly enhance the efficacy of flonicamid against S. invicta.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Martin Luquet, Ainara Penalver-Cruz, Pascale Satour, Sylvia Anton, Anne-Marie Cortesero, Blas Lavandero, Bruno Jaloux
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the impact of nectar provision on Aphidius parasitoids in intercropping systems of cereals and faba beans. Results showed that while parasitoids often relied on honeydew as the main food source, increasing nectar did not significantly improve parasitism rates or reduce aphid populations.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Nicholas Travanty, Edward L. Vargo, Coby Schal, Charles S. Apperson, Loganathan Ponnusamy
Summary: This study investigated the effects of bacteria cultured from the nest soils of red imported fire ants on worker ant behaviors. The results showed that Arthrobacter woluwensis (Actinobacteria) attracted worker ants while bacteria identified as Firmicutes generally repelled ants. These findings provide a basis for the development of new control strategies for the red imported fire ant.
Article
Ecology
Nicholas V. Travanty, Edward L. Vargo, Charles S. Apperson, Loganathan Ponnusamy
Summary: The long-standing association between insects and microorganisms plays a crucial role in the success of social insect groups. In this study, the bacterial microbiomes in soils with and without red imported fire ants were characterized, revealing significant differences in bacterial community structures. Red imported fire ants were found to have a notable impact on soil microbial communities, with differences in abundance of certain taxa and distinct bacterial compositions in worker ants compared to nest soils.
Article
Entomology
Rino Yasudai, Akira Matsubara, Po-Wei Hsu, Ching-Chen Lee, Chung-Chi Lin, Chin-Cheng Scotty Yang
Summary: This study assessed the efficacy of two bait products, Arino-su-korori and Hyper Arino-su-korori, in controlling the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. Both baits demonstrated high mortalities of fire ants in laboratory conditions and significantly reduced their foraging activities in the field. Arino-su-korori performed slightly better than Hyper Arino-su-korori in terms of colony elimination and long-term suppression of field fire ants.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Lang Zhang, Lei Wang, Jian Chen, Jianlong Zhang, Yinghao He, Yongyue Lu, Jiacheng Cai, Xuan Chen, Xiujun Wen, Zhiping Xu, Cai Wang
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of cycloxaprid, a newly discovered neonicotinoid insecticide, in controlling Solenopsis invicta and compared it with two referent insecticides, imidacloprid and bifenthrin. The results showed that cycloxaprid, imidacloprid, and bifenthrin effectively controlled S. invicta workers, with slightly slower action for cycloxaprid and imidacloprid. Cycloxaprid and imidacloprid could be horizontally transferred among ants, and they did not significantly affect the foraging behaviors of S. invicta workers.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Huanling Xing, Jianhao Lin, Xinghai Li, Junyi Huang, Xiangxiu Liang, Yanqun Li, Mei Bai, Hanjun He, Fei Lin, Hanhong Xu, Zhixiang Zhang, Hong Wu
Summary: In this study, it was found that trans-cinnamaldehyde, the main component of cinnamon oil, can kill insects by manipulating the social behavior of red imported fire ants. The bark oils not only produced strong fighting behavior but also accelerated the death of the worker ants. Trans-cinnamaldehyde acts on the nervous system of red imported fire ants to interfere with the behavior of the workers.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Cody L. Barnes, Dror Hawlena, Shawn M. Wilder
Article
Ecology
Alin Gonzalez, Cody L. Barnes, Shawn M. Wilder, James M. Long
JOURNAL OF FRESHWATER ECOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Ryan Walker, Shawn M. Wilder, Angelica L. Gonzalez
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Jordan P. Cuff, Shawn M. Wilder, Maximillian P. T. G. Tercel, Rhiannon Hunt, Somoye Oluwaseun, Paige S. Morley, Rafael A. Badell-Grau, Ian P. Vaughan, James R. Bell, Pablo Orozco-terWengel, William O. C. Symondson, Carsten T. Mueller
Summary: The study introduces a protocol called Macroutrient Extraction and Determination from Invertebrates (MEDI) for the direct, rapid, and relatively low-cost determination of macronutrient content from single small macroinvertebrates. Macronutrients are extracted and determined using colorimetric assays, successfully identifying taxonomic differences in macronutrient content. MEDI can determine macronutrient content in small and large individual invertebrates, with the total cost of around $1.35 per sample and results obtained within around 3 days.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Anna Butler, Craig A. Davis, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: The study found that prescribed burning and different habitat types have individual effects on ground-dwelling arthropod communities, but they do not appear to interact with each other.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Milan Rezac, Nela Glorikova, Shawn M. Wilder, Petr Heneberg
Summary: The study found that while spider behavior was affected by exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides, their lipid and protein reserves were not impacted, and dietary treatments did not show any synergy with acute exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jacob T. Reeves, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Craig A. Davis, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: The study found significant variation in macronutrient and elemental content among different taxonomic orders of arthropod prey, with some orders having higher protein content and lower exoskeleton content, likely serving as higher quality prey for insectivores. Common orders in the diets of insectivores had high exoskeleton content and low protein content. Elements were found to be good predictors of macronutrients, with metabolizable elemental content being a better predictor of macronutrient content.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Landon K. Neumann, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Craig D. Davis, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: Global climate change poses a threat to biodiversity and ecosystems by increasing climate extremes. Understanding the relationship between climate and movement of non-migratory species is crucial for long-term conservation efforts. This study used Northern Bobwhite as a model to investigate how climate variables affect fine-scale movement. The findings highlight the importance of specific climate variables in shaping the movement patterns of non-migratory species.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jacob T. Reeves, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Craig A. Davis, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: This study examined the effects of temporal variation and habitat management on the availability of arthropod prey for brooding northern bobwhites. The results showed that burning changed the composition of the arthropod community and increased the total abundance and biomass of arthropods. Temporal variation had a broader influence on arthropods, and total abundance and biomass increased throughout the sampling period. Burning provided benefits to foraging bobwhite broods through increased availability of arthropod prey and favorable habitat characteristics.
RANGELAND ECOLOGY & MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Will D. Wiggins, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: This study investigates the benefits of liquid carbohydrates for jumping spiders and whether these benefits vary with the nutrient content of prey. The results show that access to carbohydrates increases spider survival, body fat percentage, and weight, particularly when prey have high protein and low lipid content.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shawn M. Wilder, Stephen J. Simpson
Summary: A study found that fence skinks are relatively low-quality prey for redback spiders, as they consumed a lower amount of nutrients from skinks compared to other arthropod prey. The frequency of skinks in the spiders' diet is likely due to their abundance in the habitat and the indiscriminate predation behavior of the spiders.
Article
Entomology
Shawn M. Wilder, Cody L. Barnes
Summary: Data on arthropod protein content is valuable for ecological, behavioral, and physiological studies. However, the accuracy of affordable protein measures is uncertain compared to amino acid analysis. By analyzing various arthropods, it was found that the Lowry assay and the average of the Bradford and Lowry assays showed the closest relationship to amino acid data. However, the species Blattella germanica appeared as an outlier in some analyses. When excluding B. germanica, the closest relationships to amino acid data were found with the Lowry assay. This suggests that not all protein measures are equally accurate and some arthropod species may contain interfering compounds.
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Cody L. Barnes, Nicholas W. Blay, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: Temperature strongly influences the physiology and distribution of ectotherms, and extreme environmental conditions can limit their survival. In this study, the thermal tolerances of two native widow species and one invasive species were compared, revealing differences in thermal tolerances among sexes and life stages. Additionally, the correlation between minimum temperature and the distribution of the invasive species was found to be the strongest.
JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Colton Herzog, Jacob T. Reeves, Yetkin Ipek, Andrea Jilling, Dror Hawlena, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: Predators have a significant impact on nutrient cycling in ecosystems by modifying waste products and uneaten parts of prey available to decomposers. Feeding on different prey influenced the elemental concentrations in wolf spider excreta, with lower carbon concentrations and higher concentrations of other elements. Elemental concentrations in unconsumed prey carcasses and remains varied between prey species, while spider excreta had the lowest variation among prey species. Additionally, the deposition of elements differed between seasons, with higher concentrations of certain elements in spider excreta in the fall and higher concentrations of other elements in the spring. Understanding these complex nutritional interactions is crucial for understanding the effects of predators on ecosystem function.
Article
Ecology
J. T. Reeves, Colton Herzog, Cody L. Barnes, Craig A. Davis, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Shawn M. Wilder
Summary: Arthropods provide amino acids to both invertebrates and vertebrates, but not all amino acids in arthropods are digestible due to being bound in the exoskeleton. Taxonomic differences in arthropods may also affect amino acid availability. This study found that there were consistent differences in amino acid content and balance between digestible tissue and exoskeleton, as well as variations among different arthropod Orders.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
