Fire Ant Dispersal Along Texas Highways

Details

• Creators:
  Thorvilson, Harlan ; Phillips Jr, Sherman A ; Russell, Scott
• Corporate Creators:
  Texas Tech University
• Corporate Contributors:
  Texas Department of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation Office ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Highways Insects Red Imported Fire Ant Right Of Way (Land) Subgrade (Pavements)
• Publication/ Report Number:
  TX-97/2985-7F
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Texas
• Edition:
  September 1995-August 1997
• Corporate Publisher:
  Texas. Department of Transportation
• Abstract:
  The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is concerned that maintenance activities along highway rights-of-way have encouraged the spread and establishment of the red imported fire ant throughout Texas. The objective of this study was to determine if highway rights-of-way harbor larger fire ant populations than do adjacent properties. The methodology was to collect data on ant populations from three transects along highways within fire ant-infested areas of the state. One north-to-south transect, a southern east-to-west transect, and a northern east-to-west transect were established. Ant populations in rights-of-way were compared to populations in pastures immediately adjacent to highways. Twenty-eight transect sites were studied as well as five refuge (habitat) sites and seven rest areas. No significant differences in number or vitality of fire ant mounds in highway rights-of-way compared to adjacent properties were detected. However, significantly more ant colonies were found on roadbeds (≤ 1.0 m from paved surfaces) than were expected in rights-of-way. Roadbed colonies were also significantly smaller, which suggests that colonies were younger and more recently founded than were colonies in the remainder of rights-of-way. Mound population densities and numbers of ants in bait cups were not well correlated with the vegetational characteristics measured in this study. Highway rights-of-way should not be considered important conduits of fire ant invasion into un-infested regions of Texas, when compared to other modes of movement such as mating flights and transport of horticultural and agricultural products. Nonetheless, fire ant colony establishment along roadbeds and later movement into rights-of-way could be of concern in fringe areas of the infestation front.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  7-2985
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a8260363a1666046c29e7b124df235bb048a62babb0f9112fb87abfe89ef20e5df270eae671a14f48d914af6778150c626a8f45c6d3a207f812a288a8135700e
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/86933/dot_86933_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 4.21 MB ]