Abstract
Invasion by the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) causes the collapse of global ecosystems. Attempts to exterminate this invasive ant have mostly been unsuccessful after colonization. However, some attempts are successful when they are applied in the initial stage of invasion, or the invaded area is limited. This indicates that early identification of invasion is crucial for successful extermination. The current methods of identification require special training and skills, suggesting that a new easy and fast method of identification is urgently required. Here, we report a method of identification using a species-specific trail pheromone. The Argentine ant uses (Z)-9-hexadecenal as a trail pheromone. (Z)-9-Hexadecenal is commercially available, because it is used to control the reproduction of a moth (Chilo suppressalis). We applied (Z)-9-hexadecenal 10 cm away from the trails of Argentine ants and 12 native Japanese ant species. The Argentine ant trails were largely disturbed, while the effect on the native Japanese ants was almost undetectable. These results suggest that this “trail disruption identification method” is an easy and fast method of identifying Argentine ants in Japan and that the effects of this method on native Japanese ants, if any exist, are small.
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Acknowledgements
We thank two anonymous referees for thoughtful comments on the manuscript. We grateful thank all the members of the laboratory of ethology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, for support and helpful discussions, Takehiko Fukumoto, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., for providing the pheromone dispensers, the people of Kuroiso, Iwakuni City for providing experimental fields and hospitality, and Dr. Yuya Fukano and Dr. Shinya Hayashi for analytical advice. We are grateful to Dr. Eiriki Sunamura for important advices and supports. We would like to thank Editage (http://www.editage.com) for English language editing.
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Nishisue, K., Koyama, S. & Satoh, T. Identification of the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) using an artificially synthesized trail pheromone and its effects on native Japanese ants. Appl Entomol Zool 55, 141–147 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-019-00663-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-019-00663-9