D. Suiter, B. Schneider, C. Riegel
2006
Citations
0
Influential Citations
2
Citations
Journal
Sociobiology
Abstract
Noviflumuron, a new chitin synthesis inhibitor, was tested for its activity against the Pharaoh's snt, Monomorium pharaonis (L.), and the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), by providing colonies baits containing 0.10% or 0.50% noviflumuron alone or in combination with a 10% sugar water bait containing 0.50% boric acid. Noviflumuron was not acutely toxic to either workers or queens, but eliminated larvae from treated colonies. Noviflumuron did not prevent queens from producing eggs, but eggs from treated queens either failed to hatch or died soon after hatching. When Pharaoh's ants were fed a 10% sugar water bait containing 0.50% boric acid, worker and brood populations were reduced initially, but colonies recovered to pre-treatment size after several months. However, when ants were exposed to a combination of the boric acid bait and apeanut oil-based bait containing 0.10% noviflumuron, colonies did not recover and were eliminated.