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Evaluation of non-target bait attraction by pollinating insects when using water-storing granules for invasive ant
Paul D Krushelnycky1, Michael J Melzer1, Jia-Wei Tay1
1Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Background:
Water-storing granules (WSGs) such as hydrogels are a promising management tool for invasive pest ants because they present attractive sugar-water bait in easily dispersible granular form. However, the attraction of pollinators and other non-target insects to such granules is a concern. We evaluated this non-target risk through staged video observations of baits and field broadcast of protein immunomarked baits using three types of WSG.
Results:
Granules staged on the ground attracted few insects from common pollinating groups, which together comprised < 8% of non-ant visitors. However, baits placed near flowers elicited 3.8 times higher visitation rates with > 90% being common pollinators. Broadcast plots that tested small-scale bait application scenarios revealed low rates of insect interaction with WSGs, likely because most granules fell to the ground. Less than 10% of pollinators and approximately 10% of all flying insects captured were marked, although several taxa had substantially higher rates of marking.
Conclusion:
Ant management using hydrogels or other WSG baits should pose relatively low risk to pollinating insects in the shrubland ecosystems studied. However, higher mortality among some non-target species from direct bait consumption may occur, species-specific effects may be challenging to predict, and indirect risks from pesticide residues should also be considered. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
