DOI: 10.5061/dryad.7wm37pw2z
title: Possible limitations in the management of a small ant pest species (Plagiolepis alluaudi) using gel baits

description: Alluaud’s little yellow ant, Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery 1894,
 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is an emerging nuisance species in floriculture
 and residential areas around the globe. Originally described from
 Madagascar, it ranks among the smallest widespread formicine pests. To
 date, management protocols for this species have not been reported. In
 ants, feeding preference is partly correlated with body size and viscosity
 of the food source, and small ants may not be able to feed on formulated
 baits of relatively high viscosity. To assess population management
 implications of bait viscosity on a small pest ant species, four
 commercial ant baits of varying viscosities were evaluated in laboratory
 and field assays against P. alluaudi. All four products negatively
 affected P. alluaudi survival compared to the untreated control and all
 products were associated with greater visitation compared to the control,
 suggesting all active ingredients tested are viable candidates for P.
 alluaudi management. However, their direct use for population management
 in the field may be limited, as ants eventually displayed feeding
 cessation on all four baits. When baits were diluted with water, viscosity
 was reduced and ant survival was initially higher compared to with
 undiluted baits. However, similarly low levels of survival were maintained
 over time. Most importantly, we found in a two-year observational field
 study involving sustained baiting within an infested structure, that only
 the bait formulation with the lowest overall viscosity was able to
 alleviate P. alluaudi nuisance indoors. Our results suggest that diluting
 baits may be a viable strategy for targeting very small pest ant species
 and the greater time to lethality of diluted baits, resulting from reduced
 toxicant concentration, may be a reasonable trade-off allowing smaller ant
 species to continue feeding for a sufficient duration on a bait
 formulation.
description: # **Possible limitations in the management of a small ant pest species
 (*Plagiolepis alluaudi)* using gel baits**
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.7wm37pw2z](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.7wm37pw2z) ## Description of the data and file structure Data for* Plagiolepis alluaudi* laboratory and field evaluations of commercial ant gel baits. These experiments took place in Broward County, Florida, USA.  **Sheet 1: 'Lab Survival Data'.** Laboratory survival data were collected in no-choice laboratory assays with groups of ~200 workers, five queens, and their associated brood (~100 eggs/larvae/pupae) in experimental arenas. Survival was assessed daily for 11 days.  Separate, but otherwise identical laboratory assays were conducted for each commercial bait as either a 50% dilution or undiluted (8 treatments in total). Each treatment was replicated 3 times. Data are formulated for Cox proportional-hazards model, used to test the effect of each treatment on* *P. alluaudi** survival. '0' in a field indicates that condition was not met, '1' indicates that the condition was met.  **Sheet 2: 'Field Visitation Data'.** Data on ant visitation to baits by field populations of* *P. alluaudi** were collected by placing microcentrifuge tubes of each of the four commercial baits (undiluted) and 1 sucrose control on a sheet of white paper on the ground, in areas of actively foraging* *P. alluaudi**. The number of **P. alluaudi* *work ants at each bait counted from photos taken every 5 minutes for 1 h, with the max number of workers reported for each treatment. **Sheet 3: 'Field Consumption Data'.** Data on field consumption of each bait were collected by placing microcentrifuge tubes of ~1mL of each commercial bait (undiluted) on the ground for four hours to allow for bait consumption. Environmental controls were placed to evaluate environmental water loss, with ants excluded using soapy water. Data were collected at two field sites in Broward County, Florida, USA, with five experimental replicates at each field site (ten replicates total). Bait consumption was determined by calculating the weight loss in each test vial, minus the weight loss/gain from evaporation/water absorption of each respective formulation, and is reported in mg/h.  Laboratory survival for four commercial baits and 50% dilutions of each bait of* *Plagiolepis alluaudi**, the little yellow ant, along visitation to and consumption of each commercial bait in field choice assays.