Controle da formiga cortadeira, Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), utilizando inseticidas: estudo sobre os mecanismos comportamentais
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Data
2022-10-11
Autores
Mota Filho, Tarcísio Marcos Macedo [UNESP]
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Editor
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
As formigas cortadeiras do gênero Atta, Acromyrmex e Amoimyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) são consideradas importantes pragas de plantios florestais, da agricultura e pecuária. Isca tóxica contendo o princípio ativo sulfluramida ou fipronil é o principal método de controle destes insetos. Contudo, ainda sabe-se pouco sobre como ocorre a dispersão do inseticida no interior da colônia, se por trofalaxia entre as operárias da colônia, ou se seus comportamentos de autolimpeza, limpeza mútua, bem como o contato entre operárias contaminadas e não contaminadas proporcionam a dispersão. O objetivo do estudo foi determinar se os comportamentos de autolimpeza, limpeza mútua, ou toque entre operárias de Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) dispersa os inseticidas fipronil e sulfluramida entre os membros de um grupo ou colônia. Para isso esses inseticidas foram aplicados topicamente em operárias e as interações entre operárias contaminadas e não contaminadas, a nível de grupo e de colônia foram estudadas. Com o aumento do tamanho do grupo ou de operárias contaminadas na colônia, a frequência de interações entre operárias aumentou, sendo o toque o comportamento mais frequente. Os inseticidas foram transmitidos por contato direto entre as operárias, seguido de auto-limpeza e limpeza mutua. Esses comportamentos foram responsáveis pela rápida dispersão dos inseticidas entre os membros do grupo ou colônia. Os resultados, portanto, sustentam a hipótese de que as interações sociais promovem a contaminação e dispersão de inseticida entre membros de um grupo ou colônia.
Leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta, Acromyrmex and Amoimyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are considered important pests of forest plantations, agriculture and livestock. Toxic bait containing the active ingredient sulfluramid or fipronil is the main method of controlling these insects. However, little is known about how the insecticide is dispersed within the colony, whether by trophallaxis between colony workers, or if their self-cleaning and mutual cleaning behaviors, as well as the contact between contaminated and uncontaminated workers, provide the dispersal. The objective of the study was to determine whether self-cleaning, mutual cleaning, or touching behaviors among Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers disperses the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid among members of a group or colony. For this, these insecticides were applied topically on workers and the interactions between contaminated and uncontaminated workers, at the group and colony level, were studied. With the increase in the size of the group or contaminated workers in the colony, the frequency of interactions between workers increased, with touch being the most frequent behavior. The insecticides were transmitted by direct contact between workers, followed by self-cleaning and mutual cleaning. These behaviors were responsible for the rapid dispersion of insecticides among the members of the group or colony. The results, therefore, support the hypothesis that social interactions promote insecticide contamination and dispersion among members of a group or colony.
Leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta, Acromyrmex and Amoimyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are considered important pests of forest plantations, agriculture and livestock. Toxic bait containing the active ingredient sulfluramid or fipronil is the main method of controlling these insects. However, little is known about how the insecticide is dispersed within the colony, whether by trophallaxis between colony workers, or if their self-cleaning and mutual cleaning behaviors, as well as the contact between contaminated and uncontaminated workers, provide the dispersal. The objective of the study was to determine whether self-cleaning, mutual cleaning, or touching behaviors among Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) workers disperses the insecticides fipronil and sulfluramid among members of a group or colony. For this, these insecticides were applied topically on workers and the interactions between contaminated and uncontaminated workers, at the group and colony level, were studied. With the increase in the size of the group or contaminated workers in the colony, the frequency of interactions between workers increased, with touch being the most frequent behavior. The insecticides were transmitted by direct contact between workers, followed by self-cleaning and mutual cleaning. These behaviors were responsible for the rapid dispersion of insecticides among the members of the group or colony. The results, therefore, support the hypothesis that social interactions promote insecticide contamination and dispersion among members of a group or colony.
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Palavras-chave
Atta, Dispersão de inseticidas, Interações sociais, Rotas de contaminação, Trofalaxia, Insecticide dispersion, Social interactions, Contamination routes, Trophallaxis