Effect of destructing mounds on the colony migration of red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta.
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Key Words：Solenopsis invicta, mound, destruction, colony, migration
Abstract： The effect of destroying ant-mounds on the spread of the exotic red fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren was investigated. The results show that experimental destruction of mounds could cause colonies to migrate and bud, and that the rate of migration increased with the degree of mound destruction. 14.44% of colonies formed sub-colonies when 75% of the volume of their mounds was destroyed. When whole mounds were destroyed 16.27% of colonies migrated and 27.00% formed sub-colonies. The equation, M=4.3443+25.474D-3.4857D2, describes the relationship between the degree of mound destruction (D) and the rate of colony migration (M). The mean distance of colony movement following mound destruction was 4.3 m and the direction of movement was random.