Establishment and Social Impacts of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Taiwan
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Chronological Distribution of the Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) in Northern Taiwan
3.2. Health Effects of RIFA on the Residents of Taiwan
3.3. Urbanization of RIFA in Taiwan
3.4. Destruction of Electrical Equipment by RIFA
3.5. Challenges of RIFA Management in Taiwan
- (1)
- RIFA is likely to have been established in Taiwan longer than previously reported. Earlier detection of an exotic organism is the general principle of biosecurity and offers a better chance of eradication. For instance, New Zealand has successfully eradicated RIFA because three incursions were detected at ports of entry very early, with only a few colonies [3]. In contrast, RIFA was thought to have arrived in 1933 in the United States but was not discovered until 1942 [42]. The cases in Taiwan, China, and Australia were similarly discovered late [41]. RIFA was likely present in Taiwan for more than five years before it was discovered in 2003 [3].
- (2)
- Highly reproductive queens can fly distances of more than 10–20 km and there are difficulties in detecting incipient infestation [20]. The nuptial flight of imported fire ants is believed to be the most successful strategy in terms of population expansion, frequently occurring in light winds of up to 5 miles/h (8.05 km/h) and temperatures between 23.8–33 °C [43]. Although 99% of the mated queens fly less than 1 mile (1.61 km) from the point of origin of their flight, there is evidence that in extreme cases, queens can fly or can be carried by the wind for 7–10 miles (11.27–16.09 km). In the United States, the most intense and extensive flights occur in May, June, and July; in Taiwan, however, they can occur throughout the year because of the warm climate and high humidity. This facilitates the rapid expansion of RIFA and renders it more difficult to manage. The current monitoring system for RIFA in Taiwan employs potato chips to attract the foraging ants [14], but it is still not easy to detect an incipient infestation. Dogs are highly sensitive agents for RIFA monitoring in areas that contain a low density of fire ant nests; however, their cost is too high and unaffordable for large-scale applications [44].
- (3)
- Movement control is difficult to achieve. Human-assisted dispersal through nursery pots and soil is the most challenging part of controlling RIFA because it can easily transport the ants over a long distance [41,45], as evidenced in the case of Taichung World Flora Exposition on 2 November 2018, in Taiwan [13]. The dilemma has to be overcome by promulgating regulations. For example, in Japan an Invasive Alien Species Act (IAS Act) was adopted in June 2004 and put into force from June 2005 with the aim of preventing the adverse effects of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) on ecosystems, human safety, agriculture, forestry or fisheries. In Taiwan, RIFA is currently governed only by the Plant Protection and Quarantine Act.
- (4)
- Manpower and the companies involved in the broadcast baits for RIFA control are insufficient, and the turnover rate is too high. The management of RIFA in Taiwan is coordinated by BAPHIQ; however, the person responsible for RIFA control is an entry-level employee in the local government or township. Unfortunately, the turnover of entry-level employees is high and it is not easy for them to become familiarized with the RIFA Control Act.
- (5)
- Meteorological conditions disfavor bait application in Taiwan. Currently, several synthetic insecticides are used as active ingredients in fire ant baits. In particular, baits with two IGR (pyriproxyfen and methoprene) are the main active ingredients for RIFA control in Taiwan. However, the phagostimulant components in the baits are quite sensitive to humidity. Taiwan is an island country with a tropical and subtropical climate, and it is often rainy in the northern part of Taiwan. According to the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan, the number of days of precipitation in Taipei is approximately 170 days/year, which means that almost every other day is a rainy day (Table S3). These conditions make it quite challenging to broadcast bait applications for RIFA control. To operate effectively in a highly humid environment, a new fire ant bait base carrier for moist conditions was developed in 2010 [46].
- (6)
- Residents are reluctant to change their faulty concepts regarding the control of RIFA. RIFA is a social insect with the queen(s) as the only female with fully developed ovaries and responsibility for the reproductivity of the whole colony. Such insects can only be controlled by eradicating the queen(s), which usually hides inside the nest. The IGR-based bait used for RIFA control can wipe out the entire colony by destroying the queen(s) through trophallaxis. Despite repeated advocacy education programs, Taiwanese residents still treat RIFA by imitating the concepts used for the control of mosquito or other agricultural pests, which aim to kill all visible individuals with contact insecticides.
4. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Seeking Medical Care (Percentage) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Characteristics | Total Record (%) | No (%) | Yes (%) | |||
Wheal-and-flare reaction | ||||||
No | 3017 | (79.0%) | 2835 | (94.0%) | 182 | (6.00%) |
Yes | 802 | (21.0%) | 696 | (86.8%) | 106 | (13.2%) |
Anaphylactic shock | ||||||
No | 3713 | (97.2%) | 3495 | (94.1%) | 218 | (5.90%) |
Yes | 106 | (2.8%) | 36 | (34.0%) | 70 | (66.0%) |
Cellulitis or Urticaria | ||||||
No | 3798 | (99.5%) | 3510 | (62.40%) | 288 | (37.6%) |
Yes | 21 | (0.50%) | 21 | (100.0%) | 0 | (0.00%) |
Number of People Stung by RIFA | 3819 | 3531 | (92.5%) | 288 | (7.50%) |
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Liu, Y.-S.; Huang, S.-A.; Lin, I.-L.; Lin, C.-C.; Lai, H.-K.; Yang, C.-H.; Huang, R.-N. Establishment and Social Impacts of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Taiwan. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 5055. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105055
Liu Y-S, Huang S-A, Lin I-L, Lin C-C, Lai H-K, Yang C-H, Huang R-N. Establishment and Social Impacts of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Taiwan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(10):5055. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105055
Chicago/Turabian StyleLiu, Yu-Sheng, Sin-An Huang, I-Lin Lin, Chung-Chi Lin, Hung-Kuan Lai, Chun-Hsiang Yang, and Rong-Nan Huang. 2021. "Establishment and Social Impacts of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Taiwan" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 10: 5055. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105055