Comparison of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Attraction to Different Common Household Products

Authors

  • Rayburn Lee Texas A&M University
  • Rupsikha Bora
  • Gillian Bradley
  • Maria Hutchins-Donley
  • Raymond Loh
  • Shawnee Owusu
  • Casandra Patterson
  • Eduardo Serrano

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to study the attraction habits of S .invicta to common household products in College Station, Texas. S. invicta is a nuisance to the agricultural industry as they cause damage to equipment and lower crop yields. Various common household products ranging from dental hygiene to food products were used in the study. Products that exhibited the most attractive properties included foods with high sugar content. Among the household products with the lowest attractive properties were acidic substances such as tapatio hot sauce, listerine, and 40% ethanol spirit (vodka). Basic substances such as hand soap also exhibited poor attractive properties.

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Published

2022-06-03