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of West Hawaii funded by Natural Resources Acknowledgements. We gratefully acknowledge C.
<br /> Conservation Service will be undertaken in the Hirayama and K. Onuma for conducting field surveys
<br /> future. In East Hawaii, separate infestations range for this ant. Surveys were supported and funded in
<br /> from Laupahoehoe in Hamakua District, South to part by the USDA-APHIS Cooperative Agricultural
<br /> Kalapana in Puna District. The highest elevation Pest Survey (CAPS) Program.
<br /> infestation is in Mountain View (1500' elevation).
<br /> Infestations are also known in Waiakea Uka and References
<br /> Kaumana in South Hilo. Over 50 infestation sites are
<br /> known in East Hawaii. Of these, over a dozen Conant, P. and C. Hirayama. 2000. Wasmannia
<br /> nurseries and landscaper baseyards are infested and auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
<br /> are potential sources of infested potted plants. established on the island of Hawaii. Bish.
<br /> HDOA is working with the owners to suppress the Mus. Occas. Pap. 64:21-22.
<br /> ants. All other known infestations are in Puna or
<br /> South Hilo districts. Surveys to determine the extent Creighton, W.S. 1950. The ants of North America.
<br /> of the infestations in Puna and other areas on the Big Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 104:1-585.
<br /> Island are continuing. In 1999, an infestation of LFA
<br /> was found at Kalihiwai on Kauai which continues to Fernald, H.T. 1947. The little fire ant as a house
<br /> be suppressed through the use of Amdro fire ant pest. J. Econ. Ent. 40:428.
<br /> bait.
<br /> Hayashi, A. 1999. Attack of the fire ants. In
<br /> Habitat. The ants are easily found outdoors crawling Scientific American, February 1999.
<br /> on the ground (Figure 2), in and under potted plants,
<br /> and on ornamental foliage and flowers. Worker ants Nickerson, J.C. 1983. The little fire ant,
<br /> feed on dead insects, other arthropods, small Ochetomyrmex auropunctata (Roger). Fla.
<br /> animals, and are predaceous on many insects (Smith Dept. Agric. 8 Consumer Serv., Division of
<br /> 1965). According to Spencer (1941), the ant feeds Plant Industry. Entomology Circular No. 248.
<br /> preferably on honeydew from sucking insects.
<br /> Ulloa-Chacon and Cherix (1990) mention that Smith, M.R. 1947. A generic and subgeneric
<br /> interspecific competition by this ant gradually synopsis of the United States ants, based on
<br /> eliminates other ant species and terrestrial the workers (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
<br /> invertebrates in newly colonized areas. So far, there American Midland Naturalist, 37(3):521-647.
<br /> have been at least 5 reports of people being stung
<br /> inside their homes on the Big Island. According to Smith, M.R. 1965. House-infesting ants of the
<br /> Smith (1965), W. auropunctata can be a household eastern United States. USDA-ARS Tech.
<br /> pes'Bwhich infests clothing, beds, furniture, or food. Bull. No. 1326. 105p.
<br /> F€r's?ald (1947) reports that W. auropunctata do not
<br /> form definite nests, but clusters of them may Spencer, H. 1941. The small fire ant Wasmannia in
<br /> sometimes be found in cracks and crevir es or under citrus groves: A preliminary report. Fla. Ent.
<br /> leaf litter, stones, or other material on the ground. 24:6-14.
<br /> According to Nickerson (1983), these "nests", which
<br /> contain several queens, numerous workers, pupae, Ulloa-Chacon, P. and D. Cherix. 1990. The Little
<br /> larvae and eggs, are connected with each other by Fire Ant Wasmannia auropunctata (R.)
<br /> movement of the workers. Spencer (1941) mentions (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). pp. 281-289. In
<br /> that new nests are apparently formed by budding as Applied Myrmecology, A World Perspective.
<br /> nuptial flights have never been observed. Westview Press.
<br /> Control. Amdro fire ant bait is being applied by the Wheeler, W.M. 1929. Two neotropical ants
<br /> infested nurseries who have voluntarily refrained established in the United States. Psyche
<br /> from moving plant material off of their properties 36:89-90.
<br /> unless first treated with insecticides. For growers of
<br /> tropical fruit and nut orchard crops Amdro can be
<br /> applied in bait stations; however a copy of the
<br /> Special Local Need label is required. This label is
<br />
<br /> available from the HDOA Hilo office.
<br />
<br /> PLANT PEST CONTROL BRANCH, D(vislon of Plant Industry, Hawaii Department of AgriwlWre First issued Odober 1999
<br /> 1428 SouM King Street, Honolulu, Hawail, 96814. Phone Oahu (808) 973-9530, Hilo (808) 974-4140 last updated July 22, 2005
<br />
<br /> web address: httD:/lwww.hawaiiaq.oralhdoa/noalnoa99-02-Ifireant.pdf
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