Field Evaluations of Broadcast and Individual Mound Treatment for Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) Control in Virginia, USA

摘要

Field evaluations were conducted to determine efficacy, residual activity, and knockdown potential for fire ant control products.? Broadcast granular products (Advion, 0.045% indoxacarb; and Top Choice Insecticide, 0.0143% fipronil) were individually evaluated, and compared with a combination of two products applied together, and with individual mound applications of Maxforce Fire Ant Killer Bait (1.0% hydramethylnon). After application, the greatest percent reduction (90 days) were observed in the Advion/Top Choice combination plots (100.0%), followed by Top Choice alone (96.4%). ?Advion and MaxForce produced significantly lower foraging reductions at 90 days (61.2% and 27.5% respectively).? ?At the conclusion of the test (day 360), significantly fewer ants were collected in the Advion (777.7), Top Choice (972.8), and combination plots (596.2) than in the control plots (1257.8) ( df 13, F = 8.3, P & 0.05). The mean number of ants collected from MaxForce treatment plots was not significantly different from controls ( P & 0.05).? Overall, the efficacy and residual studies suggested that the Advion/Top Choice combination produced both the most rapid reduction in ant foraging and the longest lasting control (90%) at 300 days.? When evaluating time to knockdown of foraging populations, the Advion/Top Choice combination also provided the most complete and rapid results by day 7, reducing foraging by 100%. While other products also performed well (75.6 - 95.9% reductions), both the MaxForce and Advion plots had significant increases in foraging at 30-90 days. Overall, foraging knockdown was the most complete in the Avion/Top Choice combination plots at 90 days.