Unhappy Trails to You, Fire Ants
In the United States, imported fire ants are invasive species that infest more than 367 million acres in 14 southern tier states. Each year, they cause over $8 billion worth of damage and control costs to residential households and agriculture. Fire ants feed on important crops, displace native ant species, and reduce wildlife food sources. They also pose health risks due to their aggressive behavior and allergens in their potent sting.
ARS researchers in Gainesville, FL, and Corvallis, OR, are looking to develop the first novel fire ant bait control product in over a quarter century. This new product targets all fire ant life stages by disrupting common essential biological processes, making communication among worker ants in the colony ineffective. More importantly, the colony queen becomes sick, stops laying eggs, and dies. Once the queen dies, the colony soon disappears. This patented technology is biodegradable. While currently specific to fire ants, the technology can be adapted to control other pest insects.
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