Sulfoxaflor causes mortality, decreased locomotion, and altered interactions in pavement ants (Tetramorium caespitum)

Abstract

This study investigated the exposure effects of sulfoxaflor, a next-generation sulfoximine insecticide, on the viability, locomotor behavior, and nest-mate interactions of the pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum). Adult worker ants were exposed to 0, 1, 5, 12.5, 25, or 50 mg/L of sulfoxaflor via oral ingestion for 48 h. This short-term exposure to concentrations as low as 1 mg/L had wide ranging effects on multiple locomotive parameters (average speed, mobile average speed, total travel distance), nest-mate interactions (aggression and antennation), and body morphology (abdominal curving). Exposure to sulfoxaflor for 24 h manifested in decreased locomotion, altered intraspecific interactions and the development of abdominal curvature in the 25 and 50 mg/L treatments. Such alterations in mobility and conspecific behavioral parameters would clearly impact the ability of exposed individuals to successfully satisfy resource demands and presents a risk to colony survival.

Keywords:

• Sulfoximine
• behavior
• pesticide
• insecticide
• trophallaxis
• aggression
• antennation
• abdominal curving

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Deborah Hydorn (Professor of Mathematics, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA. USA) for her assistance and guidance with the statistical analysis of the datasets.

Data availability statement

Data from this study is available upon reasonable request to TF ([email protected])