title: Combined use of a synthetic trail pheromone and insecticidal bait provides effective control of an invasive ant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Except for sex pheromones, use of pheromones in pest management has been largely unexplored. A high concentration of trail pheromone disrupts ant trail following and foraging, and thus synthetic trail pheromone can be a novel control agent for pest ants. In this study, a year-long treatment of small areas (100 m(2) plots of urban house gardens) with synthetic trail pheromone, insecticidal bait or both was conducted to develop a novel control method of the invasive Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ant population could be maintained lower than or similar to the initial level only by combined treatment with synthetic trail pheromone and insecticidal bait. Actually, the ant population was nearly always lowest in combination treatment plots. Throughout the study period, the ant population in plots treated with either one of synthetic trail pheromone or insecticidal bait remained similar to no-treatment plots.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination treatment may be a more effective and environmentally friendly method for controlling invasive ants than conventional methods. Extermination of ants by insecticidal bait and inhibition of re-infestation by pheromone may be the mechanism of the combination effect. This is the first study to show a significant effect of synthetic trail pheromone on ant population.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. eirikisunamura@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Eiriki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sunamura
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishisue
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Yosaburo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Utsumi
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terayama
authors.forename: Sadahiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatsuki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D007306:Insecticides; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D010675:Pheromones