Development of system for control of ant colonies in urban environments

• Grant number: 02/02967-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Start date: April 01, 2003
• End date: December 31, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Applied Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Odair Correa Bueno
• Grantee: Odair Correa Bueno
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Company: Vitex Agricultura e Pecuária Ltda
• City: Rio Claro

Abstract

Considering that ants are social insects with a very well established division of labor amongst its members, the functional unit is the colony as a whole and not an ant in isolation. This project proposes the development of a system involving the use of attractive baits in order to carry out control of colonies of the species that have the status of pest. Although the use of baits has a long history in the control of pests, there is today renewed interest in their application, something which is due to several factors. Amongst them, pressure from public opinion for a reduction in the use of insecticides, the requirement for a correct evaluation of the ideal insecticide to be used and the increase in the safety of the applicators and the users. The proposal for the development of an efficient system for the control of ant colonies based on knowledge acquired in basic research involves two paths: to act on research aimed at providing assistance to technological development and to provide a basis for the legalization of the final product. (AU)