Lava-pés (Solenopsis Westwood, 1840): Do controle a influência ecológica em ambiente urbano

Abstract

Ants play important roles in ecosystems, promoting soil fertilization and assisting pollination. Due to their high dominance and diversity in the environment, ants are used in biodiversity studies and can indicate the degree of degradation and / or preservation of an area. Some species of ants are considered pests in the urban environment, where they cause serious damage, and thus, their adequate control and management become of great importance to inhibit the proliferation of these animals. The first chapter of this thesis aimed to describe a control methodology for fire ants and to test their effectiveness in the field. To carry out the control, an equipment adapted from the “fumacê” type sprayer was used, made in a smaller and lighter size to facilitate transportation in the studied area. It was possible to verify a decrease in the number of active colonies throughout the experiment, as well as a reduction in the length and width of the nests. In the second chapter, we tested four control techniques with known efficiency for fire ants and using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, it was possible to choose which technique presented the lowest risk of contamination for the environment, the lowest cost per colony and better control effectiveness. The results indicated that detergent water is the best method for controlling fire ants, followed by hot water, granular insecticide and liquid insecticide. The third chapter aimed to get to know the myrmecofauna present in a residential condominium area in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais, and to assess the impacts caused by the frequent control of fire ants. The Ants were collected using pitffal traps and attractive traps containing honey. The study lasted two years (2016 to 2018). 9979 individuals were captured and the observed richness was of 23 species. The control of the fire ants contributed to the increase in the abundance of Pheidole ants, which compete directly for resources with the fire ants. With each new collection it was possible to observe a change in the diversity and dominance indexes of the captured ant species. This study represents an important advance for the knowledge of the ant species present in our region. As it is an area that has undergone strong anthropic pressures in recent years, it is important to understand how the ant assemblies have changed and influenced the ecological interactions in that region. It is also possible to infer that there are other effective and less polluting ways to control fire ants. It is important to emphasize that the choice of the control method must take into account several aspects of the infested area such as size, movement of people and / or animals and the type of vegetation. The control must be carried out continuously and safely, using personal protective equipment (PPE). The control must be carried out continuously and safely, using personal protective equipment (PPE).