Monday, December 11, 2006 - 10:59 AM
0328

Effect of controlling Antonina graminis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Jillian Chantos, Ento32000@yahoo.com1, Ken Helms2, and S. Bradleigh Vinson, bvinson@tamu.edu1. (1) Texas A&M University, Department of Entomology, Entomology Research Laboratory, College Station, TX, (2) University of Vermont, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, tends Antonina graminis for honeydew secretions, and this honeydew appears important to the nutrition of S. invicta colonies. Control of A. graminis populations with the biological control agent Neodusmetia sangwani may offer an approach to reducing S. invicta colony numbers. A greenhouse experiment containing four treatments varied by the presence or absence of S. invicta and N. sangwani was performed for two generations of N. sangwani to determine if S. invicta had an effect on the rate of parasitism of A. graminis by N. sangwani. Significant differences in the rate of parasitism of A. graminis by N. sangwani can be used to understand the impact of S. invicta in this tritrophic system and potential means of reducing colony numbers.



Species 1: Hymenoptera Formicidae Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant)
Species 2: Hemiptera Pseudococcidae Antonina graminis (Rhodes grass mealybug)
Species 3: Hymenoptera Encyrtidae Neodusmetia sangwani

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