Influence of SIN-V on insecticide-treated red imported fire ant

The Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) is a tenacious and costly pest to control. The species was first introduced to the United States in 1918, and has steadily displaced many native species. The RIFA causes over $700 million in agricultural damage every year in the United States, and over $100 million a year in property damage in Texas alone. They are also considered to be a public health issue, with reactions to a RIFA sting varying from mild blistering to anaphylaxis. Multiple chemical, physical, and biological control strategies are currently implemented to control the RIFA. Chemical control strategies being used now are not selective, and indiscriminate use of insecticides can have unintentional environmental effects. Overexposure to insecticides can also lead to insecticide resistance. Physical and biological control strategies are labor intensive in most cases and involve treating one colony at a time. The Solenopsis invicta virus (SIN-V) has been shown to cause colony collapse when other biotic antagonists are present, such as fungal or bacterial pathogens. The interaction of common use insecticides when used with SIN-V may be used to enhance the toxicity of current-use insecticides; therefore, reducing the volume of toxic compound. This study provides information to design control strategies to manage pests in an environmentally friendly and cost effective way.