Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100586 - 100586
Published: Oct. 1, 2024
Language: Английский
Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1)
Published: Jan. 12, 2024
Invasive ants, such as the Argentine ant, pose a severe economic and ecological threat. Despite advancements in baiting techniques, effectively managing established ant populations remains daunting challenge, often ending failure. Ant colonies employ behavioural immunity against pathogens, raising question of whether ants can collectively respond to toxic baits. This study investigates actively abandon palatable but harmful food sources. We provided two sucrose feeders, each generating new foraging trail, with one transitioning offering food. Six hours later, activity on that path decreases, while non-toxic trunk trail unaffected, excluding factors like population decline or satiation reasons for decline. Laboratory experiments confirmed remained alive six after ingesting presence low days, gradually decreasing along nearest section trail. abandonment behaviour minimises entry into nest, acting protective social mechanism. The evasion bait-treated areas likely contributes considerably control failures. Understanding response baits is essential developing effective strategies combat invasive species.
Language: Английский
Citations
10
Journal of Pest Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: Feb. 5, 2025
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)
Published: March 24, 2025
Social insects such as ants possess a battery of behavioural mechanisms protecting their colonies against pathogens and toxins. Recently, active abandonment poisoned food was described in the invasive ant Linepithema humile. During this abandonment, foraging declines by 80% within 6–8 h after baits become toxic—a reduction not due to satiety, diminished motivation, or mortality. Here we explore behind behaviour, testing two hypotheses: (1) presence 'no entry' pheromones near toxic food, (2) formation aversive memories linked site. In field trials, placed bridges leading sucrose, nothing, sucrose on an trail. Within hours, abandoned bait bridges. By swapping strategically, confirmed that formed at sites, while no evidence pheromone found. Then, laboratory, asked how may be sensing toxicity bait, hypothesising poison-induced malaise. Motility, used proxy for malaise, 29% lower toxicant-exposed 3 h, linking malaise abandonment. Developing toxicants with delayed just mortality, improve control protocols. Ant foragers actively abandon baits, hampering efforts. This process is driven least part learning memory, passive do seem play role.
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Biological Invasions, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 27(4)
Published: April 1, 2025
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Biological Invasions, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 26(10), P. 3405 - 3415
Published: July 8, 2024
Language: Английский
Citations
3
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: April 14, 2024
Insects pose significant challenges in both pest management and ecological conservation. Often, the most effective strategy is employing toxicant-laced baits, which must also be designed to specifically attract preferred by targeted species for optimal species-specific effectiveness. However, traditional methods measuring bait preference are either non-comparative, meaning that animals only ever taste one bait, or suffer from methodological conceptual limitations. Here we demonstrate value of direct comparison food assays using invasive ant Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868) as a model. We compare sensitivity non-comparative (one visit source) sequential comparative (visiting type then another) at detecting low levels aversive quinine sucrose solution. introduce test novel dual-choice feeder method simultaneous evaluation preferences, testing its effectiveness discerning between foods with varying levels. While non-sequential assay could not detect aversion 1.25mM 1M sucrose, approach detected 0.94mM. The dual 0.31mM, over 0.75M sucrose. dual-feeder combines high throughput, ease use, avoidance interpretational issues. This innovative offers promising tool rapid solutions, contributing development control strategies. easily extended other species.
Language: Английский
Citations
2
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: June 25, 2024
Abstract Current management strategies applied to invasive ants rely on slow-acting insecticides which aim delay the ant’s ability detect poison until its effects are noticeable. Despite this, most control efforts unsuccessful, likely due bait abandonment and insufficient sustained consumption. Conditioned taste aversion, a learned avoidance of particular taste, is crucial survival mechanism prevents animals from repeatedly ingesting toxic substances. However, whether capable this delayed association between food subsequent illness remains largely unexplored. Here, we exposed colonies highly Argentine ant, Linepithema humile , sublethal dose insecticide spinosad. We combined measurements individual-level feeding patterns with quantification collective preferences foraging dynamics investigate potential toxicant behaviour. Collectively, preferred an odour associated previously experienced food, even if contained spinosad, over novel one. at individual-level, previous exposure spinosad resulted in reduced consumption, as consequence earlier abandonment. Moreover, while control-treated recruited slower source tasted like one, spinosad-exposed equally fast both familiar foods. Although it appears that unable develop conditioned aversion doses ingestion small amounts strongly influences Understanding subtle pesticides ant cognition behaviour can ultimately inspire development more efficient methodologies.
Language: Английский
Citations
1
Environmental Pollution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 360, P. 124625 - 124625
Published: July 27, 2024
Language: Английский
Citations
1
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: Aug. 30, 2024
Abstract Invasive ant species like Linepithema humile cause significant ecological and economic harm, making effective control strategies essential. Insecticide baits are currently the most approach for controlling ants. Therefore, quantifying how palatable or unpalatable baits, bait additives, toxicants are, is critical developing methods. It has recently been demonstrated that in comparative evaluation of foods, animals aware both a test food comparator exhibit greatly increased sensitivity when detecting unpalatability liquid baits. Here, we deploy newly developed methodology to examine palatability L. workers three used invasive control: Fipronil, spinosad, imidacloprid, as well egg white protein. Ants showed no preference between pure sucrose sucrose-toxicant solutions, indicating they either cannot detect do not find them distasteful. Survival tests confirmed toxicant concentrations were lethal, with survival rate 50% below after 72 hours. However, ants found protein additive unpalatable, significantly preferring sucrose-egg mix. These findings confirm major suitable use reported abandonment avoidance toxic due these toxicants. addition even at ratios which optimise colony growth, likely counterproductive. Future research should investigate relative various matrixes over naturally available food, ensuring more pest management strategies.
Language: Английский
Citations
0
Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100586 - 100586
Published: Oct. 1, 2024
Language: Английский
Citations
0