Study on the Concentration-Dependent Toxic Effects of Ailanthus altissima and Dysphania ambrosioides Extracts on Red Imported Fire Ants

Download PDF
Abstract: This study utilized the water test-tube feeding method to assess the toxic effects and behavioral impacts of extracts from Ailanthus altissima and Dysphania ambrosioides at different concentrations (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%) on Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ants). Single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to statistically analyze behavioral indices such as mortality rate, aggregation rate, pole-climbing rate, attachment rate, and walking rate. The results showed that both the toxicity and behavioral inhibitory effects of the two extracts increased with increasing concentrations, exhibiting a significant concentration-dependent pattern. Notably, the lethality rate of the A. altissima extract reached 96.67% at 9% concentration, while that of D. ambrosioides was 83.33%. These findings support the potential feasibility of using these extracts as biological control agents against S. invicta and provide experimental evidence for the development of plant-derived insecticides.
Keywords: Red Imported Fire Ant, Ailanthus altissima, Dysphania ambrosioides, Plant extracts, Biological control
APA Citation: Rui Gu, Zhenhong Yang, Chuan Tao (2025). Study on the Concentration-Dependent Toxic Effects of Ailanthus altissima and Dysphania ambrosioides Extracts on Red Imported Fire Ants. International Journal of Public Health and Medical Research, 4(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.62051/ijphmr.v4n2.01

References

  1. Jun H, Lei W, Juan Z, et al. The predatory effect of red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera:Formicidae) on Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera:Crambidae) [J]. Journal of Environmental Entomology, 2024, 46(2).
  2. Chen J, Guan Z, Ma Y, et al. Juvenile hormone induces reproduction via miR‐1175‐3p in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta [J]. Insect Science, 2024, 31(2).
  3. Qunchen L, Yuhua W, Guojun Q, et al. Hot water mound drench treatment can be used for physical control of red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) [J]. Journal of Economic Entomology, 2024(3):3. DOI:10.1093/jee/toae067.
  4. Su X, Shi G, Zhong J, et al. The implementation of robotic dogs in automatic detection and surveillance of red imported fire ant nests [J]. Pest Management Science, 2024, 80(10). DOI:10.1002/ps.8254.
  5. Wang J D, Chen Y H, Zhang Y X, et al. Establishment of RNAi-Mediated Pest Control Method for Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta [J]. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2024, 72(19):8. DOI:10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00654.
  6. Gever B V, Hardy J, Chen J, et al. Dynamics of Israeli acute paralysis virus in the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) colonies [J]. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 2025, 211.
  7. Lopez D J, Winkel K D, Troy WanandySheryl van NunenKirsten P. PerrettAdrian J. Lowe.The Human Health Impacts of the Red Imported Fire Ant in the Western Pacific Region Context: A Narrative Review [J]. tropical medicine and infectious disease, 2024, 9(4).
  8. Zheng Q, Yan W, Zhu S, et al. Effects of Gelsemium elegans extract on the red fire ant: disruption of peritrophic membrane integrity and alteration of gut microbial diversity, composition, and function [J]. Journal of Pest Science, 2024, 97(4).
  9. Hamer M T, Turner C R. Solenopsis abdita Thompson (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) new to Britain [J]. Entomologist s Monthly Magazine, 2024, 160(2):144-150.
  10. Zhang W, Chen X, Tian J, et al. An odorant-binding protein functions in fire ant social immunity interfacing with innate immunity [J]. Open Biology, 2025, 15(2).
  11. Guo Y B, Liu Z J, Ye Y Y, et al. Antifeedant and contact toxicity activity of crude extracts from 10 plants to red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) [J]. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology, 2025, 28(1).
  12. Emily, A, Klobuchar, et al. A queen pheromone induces workers to kill sexual larvae in colonies of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) [J]. Naturwissenschaften, 2002. DOI:10.1007/s00114-002-0331-1.
  13. Smittle B J, Adams C T, Banks W A, et al. Red imported fire ants: feeding on radiolabeled citrus trees [J]. Journal of Economic Entomology, 1988, 81(4):1019-1021.
  14. Brill J H, Mar T, Mayfield H T, et al. Use of computerized pattern recognition in the study of the cuticular hydrocarbons of imported fire ants. II. Comparison of the cuticular hydrocarbon patterns between different colonies of Solenopsis richteri [J]. Journal of Chromatography, 1985, 349(1):39-48.
  15. Krushelnycky P D. Developing Techniques For Invasive Ant Control: A Test Of 0.5 Hp Granular Ant Bait On Argentine Ants At Haleakala National Park [J]. 2008.
  16. Robertson A, Bossart J. Seasonal Diet Change of the Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius) and Competition with the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) [J]. Southeastern Naturalist, 2024, 23(3).