Toxicity fire ants

Other ants, like the carpenter ant, are incapable of stinging, but that does not stop them from biting and then squirting formic acid into the wound. In this case, because the venom is not injected, a baking soda paste can quickly neutralize the venom and ease the pain. Fire ants, however, have toxic alkaloid venom. Regardless of whether the ant that bites or stings you has acidic or alkaline venom, however, one thing remains the same—it hurts ... 

Sodium molybdate and other molybdenum compounds in toxic baits have potential for termite control (Brill et al. 1987). Baits containing 1000 mg Mo/kg were fatal to 99% of the termite Reticu-litermes flavipes in 48 days. After 8 to 10 days, termites became steel-gray in color, but appeared otherwise normal. Mortality began only after day 16. Termites did not avoid the poisoned bait, even at concentrations of 5000 mg Mo/kg. Yoshimura et al. (1987) reported similar results with another species of termite sodium molybdate killed 100% of the workers in a colony of Copotermes formo-sanus within 24 h after eating filter paper treated with a 5% solution. Some other species of insects — including fire ants (Solenopsis sp.) and various species of beetles and cockroaches — were not affected when exposed to baits containing 5000 mg Mo/kg for 48 days (Brill et al. 1987). 

A New Class of Delayed-Action Toxicants for Fire Ant Control... 

TABLE 1. Classification System for Imported Fire Ant Bait Toxicants... 

As of the end of 1986, our laboratory had screened 6,882 chemicals for the delayed toxicity required for fire ant baits. 

Over 250 compounds of the general formula, RfSC A, were tested for toxicity against fire ants, where Rf is a fluoroaliphatic radical and A is any compatible chemical structure. Hie majority of the compounds were fluorinated sulfonamides, RfS02NR3R2, where R3 and... 

Table 3. Toxicity of Unsaturated Sulfonamides to Fire Ant Workers...

Table 6. Toxicity of Some Miscellaneous to Fire Ant Workers Active Sulfonamides ...

The results demonstrated that several of the fluoro- aliphatic sulfones (I, II, III, XXV, and XXXIV) are suitable as bait-toxicants for control of the fire ant and have activity comparable to the currently available bait toxicant (Amdro). 

As illustrated in the previous discussion, this new class of insecticide was serendipitously discovered to have the very specialized delayed-activity over a wide range of concentrations required for fire ant control. These same properties may well broaden the use of these compounds to the control of other social insect pests. The wide range of chemical functional types, toxic activity and solubilities broaden the potential use of this class of compound to a wide variety of insect pests. Compound III is currently under commercial development by Griffin Corporation, Valdosta, Georgia, for fire ant control. If the compound passes... 

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