Post on 06-Oct-2020
Ants of Urban Importance and New Invasive Species
Michael K. Rust
Department of Entomology
Why is identification and recognition
important?
Does it affect IPM decisions?
Thief ant Pharaoh ant
Carpenter ant Velvety tree ant
Argentine ant Odorous house ant
Urban Pest Species
14,122 described ant species
40-50 species urban impact
30-40 % urbanization results in decline of ant diversity
Tramp ant species Human activities and
disturbance
Solenopsis invicta
Comstock Publishing Cornell University Press Key to Urban Species IPM strategies Medical importance
New distribution localities for Argentine ants
177 specimens 17 genera collected in urban settings At least 4 invasive species
Impending Issues in Urban Ant Control
• Urbanization and Invasive Species
• Pesticide Runoff Urban Waterways
• Alternative Pest Control Methods
Los Angeles
South Lake Tahoe Population 21,403 Elevation 1,901 m
Sanford , MP , et al. 2008. Effects of urban development on ant communities: implications for ecosystem services and management.
Conservation Biology 23: 131-141.
• Service-Providing Unit (SPU) organisms that provide service to humanity in a specific spatiotemporal context
– Aerator – complex tunnels
that aerate soil and water infiltration
– Decomposers- tunnel in wood debris that facilitate breakdown
Formica sibylla
Camponotus modoc
– Compiler – build thatch mounds increase soil nutrients
– Generalist
Formica obscuripes
Tapinoma sessile
Ant Survey of Lake Tahoe Area
• Detected 42 species • 3 Dolichoderine • 12 Myrmicines • 27 Formicines
- 19 species were aerators SPU - 7 species were decomposer SPU - 4 species were compiler SPU - 6 ant species were generalist
1. Ants and SPU’s are vulnerable to degradation in response to urbanization
2. Diversity declines as human uses begin to dominate
3. Shift towards generalists
Tramp Ant Species
Characteristics
1. Human environment
2. Migration – human disturbance
3. Unicoloniality – lack of aggression between nests
4. Polygyny
5. Mating and Budding Argentine ant, Linepithema humile Passera 1994 . Exotic ants. 23-43.
Tramp Ant Species Pharaoh ant Monomorium pharaonis
Argentine ant Linepithema humile
Little fire ant Wasmannia auropunctata
• Big headed ant Pheidole megacephala
• Crazy ant Paratrechina longicornis
• Anoplolepis longipes
• Ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum
• Lasius neglectus
• Odorous house ant Tapinoma sessile
Non-native ants around homes in Orange County CA
• Linepithema humile (Argentine ant)
• Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant)
• Cardiocondyla sp.
• Pheidole morens
• Nylanderia vividula
• Brachymyrmex patagonicus (rover ant)
Native ants around homes in Orange County CA
• Monomorium ergatogyna (little black ant) • Solenopsis molesta (thief ant) • Dorymyrmex insana and D. bicolor (pyramid
ants) • Liometopum occidentale (velvety tree ant) • Tapinoma sessile (odorous house ant) • Solenopsis xyloni (southern fire ant) • Harvester ants
Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr
• South American origin
• Invade houses
• Mating flights – year-round in AZ
• Alates attracted to lights
Workers 1-2 mm long
http://myrmecos.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/rover-ants-brachymyrmex-patagonicus-an-emerging-pest-species
Large eyes
Several large hairs on mesoma
D. depilis – native to CA, Santa Barbara and Sacramento area. Fields and forests, subterranean species feeding on root feeding aphids and mealybugs ???
Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta (Buren)
Workers, polymorphic 1.6 to 5.8 mm long
Southern fire ant, Solenopsis xyloni McCook
Workers polymorphic, 1.6 to 5.8 mm long, Yellow to reddish with darker gaster
10 segments 2 club
Red Imported Fire Ant
Nesting Habits of S. xyloni and S. invicta
S. xyloni 1. Disturbed areas, sparse vegetation 2. Non-irrigated areas 3. Low mounds of loose soil S. invicta 1. Vegetation 2. Heavily irrigated 3. Low mounds of loose soil
Summary
Identification is important Urban Ant Pests Increasing urbanization invasive species Environmental Issues with Conventional Sprays Alternative control strategies are needed
Dr. Les Greenberg
Dr. Dong-Hwan Choe
Andrew Soeprono Rochelle Hoey-Chamberlain
Ryan Neff