Ant Management

Research Priorities

Mark A. Robertson PhD

Ultimate Goals

Goals

• Development and adoption of systems that reduce risks – Promote adoption of best management practices

and IPM– Promote development of new, economical solutions

that do not trade one environmental problem for another

Tools to Promote Adoption• Education promotes adoption of reduced risk

practices when the practices are:– effective– economically advantageous– easy to perform

• If not, then other actions may be possible– Financial and social incentives

• Direct financial assistance• Market incentives such as third party certification• Social approval, prestige

– Regulation

DPR FunctionsA. Registration of pesticide products and label language

B. Environmental Monitoring of potential pesticide contamination both point source and non point source

C. Enforcement of pesticide regulations

D. Licensing and Continuing Education of applicators

E. Worker Health and Safety monitoring and mitigation

F. Medical Toxicology assessment of risks to human health

G. Pest Management Analysis and Planning to promote pesticide alternatives and reduced risk practices through grants, contracts, training and outreach

Ant Mangement Pesticides

• About 2200 products are registered for use on ants in California.

• About 100 active ingredients• AIs that may cause water contamination are of

greatest concern:– Organophosphates– Carbamates – Pyrethroids– Fipronil

Urban Use of Pesticides• Pesticides of concern for urban surface

water quality– bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin,

deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, tralomethrin

– malathion, fipronil, carbaryl– (Formerly: diazinon, chlorpyrifos)

• Focus is on pyrethroids, but malathion & fipronil use are also increasing

Urban Use Estimation

Urban Use = Reported + Homeowner Urban Use* Use**

* Reported Urban Use is an under estimate: includes Structural, Landscape Maintenance, Rights-of-way, Public Health, Vertebrate Control, Uncultivated Non-Ag sites, Food Processing Plants, etc., but not including some typical Agricultural uses, (i.e., Nurseries, Greenhouses, Sod/turf etc.)

**Homeowner-use pesticides do not require reporting

Homeowner Use Estimation

Estimated

Homeowner = Sales – Reported Use

Use

Example:

Estimated Homeowner (OTC) sales of bifenthrin 2004/05 = 13,000 lb ai

Scotts Miracle Grow actual OTC sales of bifenthrin 2004/05 = 11,000 lb ai

• 80% of Pyrethroid use was by professional applicators

Estimated Homeowner Use 4%

Agricultural 16%

Urban 80%

Pyrethroids Used 2004-2005

*California estimated pounds of permethrin equivalent

Bifenthrin in 2004-2005• 61% of Bifenthrin use was by professional

applicators

*Bifenthrin is about 15% of all California urban pyrethroid use

Reported Urban 61%

Agricultural 24%

Homeowner Use 15%

• 72% of Bifenthrin use was for structural pest control (mostly exterior)

Bifenthrin Urban Use 2004-2005

Reportedstructural 72%

Reported landscape maintenance 4%

Other homeowner use 12%

Homeowner lawns 8 %

Other urban reported 4%

Pyrethroids in California Waters and Sediments

• Organisms living in sediments are most at risk, eg. Hyalella azteca (amphipod)

• Toxicity is found in both urban and agriculture environments

• Largest pyrethroid contributors: bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin

Research Priorities

• Pesticide application technology • Mitigation of surface water contamination• Non-Chemical pest management• Contained bait technologies• Reduced-risk pesticides and pesticide

formulations• Data collection and management• Economics of alternative management

practices

Summary• Do not replace one environmental problem with

another• Surface water contamination is a great concern,• Mitigation through adoption of reduced risk

management practices and products• Research Priorities

– Identification and validation of new technologies including new formulations and delivery systems

– Monitoring– Mitigation practices– Economic evaluation of alternative practices

Thank you !