Brachymyrmex Patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an Emerging Pest Species in the Southeastern United States

MacGown, Joe A.; Hill, JoVonn G.; Deyrup, Mark

doi:10.1653/0015-4040(2007)90[457:bphfae]2.0.co;2

Cited by 45 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although Cryptic Species have previously been shown to have a negative response to disturbance (Hoffmann and Anderson 2003), their wide occurrence in disturbed areas of our study is not surprising. This is because the only species belonging to this group in foredunes is B. patagonicus, a ubiquitous, introduced species known nests close to urban areas (MacGown et al 2007). It is difficult to explain why Dominant Dolichoderinae were not detected in some locations.…”

Section: Disturbancementioning

confidence: 99%

Ant community structure and response to disturbances on coastal dunes of Gulf of Mexico

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coastal dunes are complex and fragile ecosystems. The decrease in environmental stressors from sea to inland creates zonation patterns of habitats, which support high biodiversity. Although coastal dunes have been examined in primary succession studies for more than 100 years, invertebrates have received much less attention than other taxa. In this study, we examined ant community composition and its relationship with vegetation structure on dunes, and used ants as indicators to reveal the influence of anthropogenic disturbances on these habitats. Quadrat sampling, hand collecting, and beating plants were used to sample ants on coastal dunes fringing the northern Gulf of Mexico. Ants representing 44 species were found, with diversity and number of functional groups increasing from foredunes to backdunes. Bush areas of the backdunes supported a unique ant community. Ant diversity was correlated with plant richness, stem number, and plant cover, but the correlation was not consistent among habitats. Ant diversity was lower in degraded, young-planted, and re-built but not in old-planted sites. In addition, different types of disturbance changed the ant community and functional groups in different ways. Our study emphasizes the importance of protecting the whole dune system, especially the backdunes, which support high diversity but are often completely destroyed by urban development. Data from this research provides a benchmark to examine trajectories of coastal dune ecosystem degradation or recovery when exposed to natural or anthropogenic disturbances.

show abstract

Section: Disturbancementioning

confidence: 99%

Ant community structure and response to disturbances on coastal dunes of Gulf of Mexico

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…are generalist predators that live and forage in open areas or under rocks [27], and they have been observed feeding on protein or carbohydrate baits, showing an opportunistic behaviour. The nests of B. patagonica occur on a wide variety of habitats, especially under stones, in leaf litter or under piles of dead wood, and their diet consists of various insects, honeydew and other food sources [28]. Solenopsis richteri builds its nests in open areas and is an omnivorous species that feeds on honeydew, plant exudates, insects, spiders and seed oils [29].…”

Section: (D) Tending Antsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bottom-up effects may not reach the top: the influence of ant–aphid interactions on the spread of soil disturbances through trophic chains

et al. 2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Soil disturbances that increase nutrient availability may trigger bottom-up cascading effects along trophic chains. However, the strength and sign of these effects may depend on attributes of the interacting species. Here, we studied the effects of nutrient-rich refuse dumps of the leaf-cutting ant, Acromyrmex lobicornis, on the food chain composed of thistles, aphids, tending ants and aphid natural enemies. Using stable isotopes tracers, we show that the nitrogen accumulated in refuse dumps propagates upward through the studied food chain. Thistles growing on refuse dumps had greater biomass and higher aphid density than those growing in adjacent soil. These modifications did not affect the structure of the tending ant assemblage, but were associated with increased ant activity. In contrast to the expectations under the typical bottom-up cascade effect, the increase in aphid abundance did not positively impact on aphid natural enemies. This pattern may be explained by both an increased activity of tending ants, which defend aphids against their natural enemies, and the low capacity of aphid natural enemies to show numerical or functional responses to increased aphid density. Our results illustrate how biotic interactions and the response capacity of top predators could disrupt bottom-up cascades triggered by disturbances that increase resource availability.

show abstract

“…Evidence for this includes the large geographical gap between the known distribution and the new records of this species from Florida and Louisiana. Other exotic ants (i.e., Brachymyrmex patagonicus Mayr, Pheidole obscurithorax Naves, Solenopsis invicta Buren, and S. richteri Forel) from South America have been introduced to the southeastern states [21][22][23][24]. However, these species are native to southern South America whereas P. epinotalis is more likely native to northern South America, Central America, or southern Mexico making this record more unique.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Record ofPyramica epinotalis(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for the United States

Chen

MacGown

Adams

et al. 2012

Psyche: A Journal of Entomology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pyramica epinotalis is an arboreal dacetine ant previously known only from Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and southern Mexico. Here we report the first records of P. epinotalis for the United States. Collections were made in three parishes across southern Louisiana in cypress-tupelo swamps using floating pitfall traps placed in floating vegetation and arboreal pitfall traps placed on trunks and limbs of three wetland tree species. One additional specimen of this species was collected in Highlands County, Florida. Based on collections of specimens in Louisiana, including multiple dealate females at different localities, P. epinotalis appears to be well established in this state. We discuss the design and implementation of modified arboreal pitfall traps that were instrumental in this discovery.

show abstract

Brachymyrmex Patagonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), an Emerging Pest Species in the Southeastern United States

Cited by 45 publications

References 3 publications

Ant community structure and response to disturbances on coastal dunes of Gulf of Mexico

Ant community structure and response to disturbances on coastal dunes of Gulf of Mexico

Bottom-up effects may not reach the top: the influence of ant–aphid interactions on the spread of soil disturbances through trophic chains

First Record ofPyramica epinotalis(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for the United States

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About