Solenopsis invicta bait casting device

Abstract

The invention provides a red imported fire ant bait casting device. The red imported fire ant bait casting device comprises a top cover, an inner pipe and an outer sleeve. The bait casting device is detachable, is of a nested structure and is fixed in a two-section mode through a cross rod arranged on the top cover and L-shaped notches formed in the inner pipe and the outer sleeve. The pipe wall of the inner pipe and the pipe wall of the outer sleeve are both provided with identical round holes, the round holes of the inner pipe and the outer sleeve do not coincide before the bait casting device is inserted into an ant nest, a channel of the bait casting device is closed, and after the bait casting device is inserted into the ant nest, the round holes can coincide and the channel of the bait casting device is opened by rotating the top cover. Solenopsis invicta enters the bait casting device through the round hole to carry solid bait. The bait casting device in the solenopsis invicta nest is simple in structure, easy to install, long in bait casting duration, good in solenopsis invicta prevention and control effect and low in production cost, solves the problem that bait casting outside the nest is not effective due to the fact that the activity of solenopsis invicta is weakened and foraging is reduced when people go out under the low-temperature condition in winter, and improves the survival rate of the solenopsis invicta. And a new technical means is provided for prevention and control of the solenopsis invicta in winter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of plant protection machinery, and in particular, relates to a bait feeding device for red imported fire ants. Background Art

[0002] Red fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are recognized as one of the most destructive invasive species in the world. Since they were introduced to the United States in the 1930s, they have spread rapidly to more than a dozen countries and regions in the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, posing a serious threat to local ecosystems, agricultural production, and human health. In my country, red fire ants were first discovered in Zhanjiang, Guangdong in 2004, and have since spread to surrounding areas. As of 2023, they have invaded 625 counties (cities, districts) in 12 provinces, and their rapid spread is worrying.

[0003] The main methods of red fire ant prevention and control include chemical liquids for nest filling, large-scale bait application, and powders for killing single ant nests. In winter, under low temperatures, the red fire ants' ability to move is weakened and they go out foraging less or almost never, so the method of relying on ants to carry baits will not work, and the measures of using powders to kill the red fire ants that are infected by the insecticide after a large number of insects emerge will also be impossible to implement. Therefore, the only way is to use contact killing chemicals for nest filling, but when filling the nest, it is necessary to ensure that the insecticide can accurately and fully penetrate to the bottom of the ant nest. At the same time, the operation technology requirements are high, but the efficiency is low and the application environment is greatly restricted. Especially for ant nests with complex structures and large depths, it is difficult to ensure that the insecticide can be evenly distributed throughout the ant nest; in addition, the effect and durability of chemical agents are poor, and they may be affected by environmental factors such as soil moisture and pH, resulting in a rapid decrease in efficacy; in addition, chemical agents are seriously residual in the soil, causing harm to other organisms in the soil and destroying the ecological balance. In contrast, solid baits interfere with the physiological functions of red fire ants and kill them with poison. They mainly work after the red fire ants actively carry them to the nest to feed. They have a slow release effect and long-term effectiveness, while causing less damage to the ecology.

[0004] CN 119073286A discloses a red fire ant attracting device and attracting bait. The device is placed on the ground near the ant nest, and gaps are arranged around the bottom of the device to facilitate the red fire ants to enter and exit and carry the bait. However, the activity of red fire ants is greatly reduced in winter, so this method is not suitable for winter red fire ant control. CN 118749506A discloses a drug delivery device for controlling red fire ants. The bottom of the device is provided with a spray hole. After being inserted into the ground, the chemical agent is injected into the ant nest by a motor drive. Although this method of injecting the agent into the nest can quickly kill the red fire ants in a short period of time, the device has a small range of action and a short duration. In addition, the motor drive method is inconvenient in the wild, and is only suitable for emergency treatment areas or scattered ant nests. If the ant nests in a large area are treated, a lot of manpower is consumed. At the same time, the application of a large amount of chemical liquid also pollutes the surrounding ecological environment. Ant nests near drinking water sources and human settlements cannot be treated.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a red fire ant bait feeding device to solve the above series of problems. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention provides a feeding device for red fire ants, comprising a top cover, an inner tube and an outer tube. The feeding device is detachable and has a nested structure. It is fixed in two stages by a cross bar provided on the top cover and an L-shaped notch provided on the inner tube and the outer tube. The tube wall of the inner tube and the tube wall of the outer tube are both provided with the same circular hole. Before the feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the circular holes of the inner tube and the outer tube do not overlap, and the channel of the feeding device is closed. After the feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the circular holes can be overlapped by rotating the top cover, and the channel of the feeding device is opened. Red fire ants enter the feeding device through the circular holes to carry solid bait. The feeding device in the red fire ant nest provided by the present invention has a simple structure, is easy to install, has a long feeding duration, has a good control effect on red fire ants, and has a low production cost. It solves the problem that the activity of red fire ants is weakened under low temperature conditions in winter and the number of foraging outside is reduced, resulting in ineffective feeding outside the nest, and also provides a new technical means for the prevention and control of red fire ants in winter.

[0007] The present invention provides a red fire ant bait feeding device, comprising an inner tube and an outer tube; the inner tube is provided with a first circular hole, the outer tube is provided with a second circular hole, when the first circular hole and the second circular hole do not overlap, the red fire ant bait feeding device is in a closed state, when the first circular hole and the second circular hole overlap, the red fire ant bait feeding device is in an open state.

[0008] The bait feeding device for red fire ants provided by the present invention is a detachable nesting structure, the top cover can be inserted into the inner tube, and the inner tube can be inserted into the outer tube. In actual use, the round hole serves as the only entrance and exit for red fire ants to enter the bait feeding device. If the first round hole and the second round hole are overlapped before inserting into the ant nest, first, the solid bait will leak, and second, the soil particles will block the round hole during the insertion of the bait feeding device into the ant nest, and the soil particles will enter the bait feeding device to contaminate the solid bait. The blockage of the round hole by soil particles will hinder the red fire ants from entering and exiting the device to carry the solid bait, and the soil particles entering the device will contaminate the solid bait and shorten the shelf life of the solid bait, so this will lead to poor prevention and control effects. In order to avoid these situations, the first round hole and the second round hole of the bait feeding device do not overlap before the ant nest is inserted, and the device is in a closed state. After the device is inserted into the ant nest, the first round hole and the second round hole are overlapped to open a channel for the red fire ants to enter and exit the device.

[0009] Existing devices mainly achieve the purpose of preventing and controlling red fire ants through passive methods or active methods. The passive method mainly injects drugs to fill the nest. This method has a small prevention and control range and low efficiency. The drugs will also destroy the ecological balance. The active method mainly relies on feeding devices. The feeding devices are generally set on the ground near the nest of red fire ants. However, when the temperature drops in winter, the activity of red fire ants is weakened and they go out to forage less, resulting in poor prevention and control effects of this method. Therefore, the present invention provides a red fire ant feeding device that can be inserted into the ground, which solves the problem that red fire ants are difficult to prevent and control in winter due to the weakened activity and reduced foraging due to the lower temperature. When the feeding device is filled with solid bait and inserted into the nest of red fire ants, the red fire ants in the nest will enter the device through the channel opened on the device to carry the bait back to the nest. The solid bait is highly safe and has little impact on the environment. The nested structure of the device of the present invention provides a good storage environment for the solid bait, which can extend the shelf life of the solid bait and thus extend its prevention and control time and effect on red fire ants. In addition, the red fire ant bait feeding device provided by the present invention has a simple structure, low production cost, and simple installation method, and is therefore suitable for large-scale prevention and control of red fire ants in winter.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a top cover, which includes a disc structure and a first tubular structure, and the outer wall of the first tubular structure is provided with symmetrical cross bars.

[0011] Furthermore, a first L-shaped notch is centrally symmetrically arranged on the tube wall above the inner tube; the first circular hole is arranged below the tube wall of the inner tube; and the outer diameter of the first tubular structure is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner tube.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer sleeve includes a conical structure and a second tubular structure; the lower opening of the second tubular structure is connected to the conical structure; the second circular hole is arranged below the tube wall of the second tubular structure; a centrally symmetrical second L-shaped notch is arranged above the tube wall of the second tubular structure; the second L-shaped notch is the same as the first L-shaped notch; the outer diameter of the inner tube is smaller than the inner diameter of the second tubular structure.

[0013] When the red fire ant bait feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the conical structure helps reduce resistance during the insertion process.

[0014] Furthermore, the first tubular structure can be inserted into the inner tube to fix the inner tube to the top cover, and the fixing method is that the cross bar is first inserted into the vertical notch of the first L-shaped notch, and then inserted into the horizontal notch of the first L-shaped notch through the rotating disc structure; the vertical notch and the horizontal notch of the first L-shaped notch have the same width.

[0015] The cross bar is first inserted into the vertical notch of the first L-shaped notch and then into the horizontal notch, which is equivalent to a two-stage fixation, and can make the structure more stable and firm.

[0016] Furthermore, after the inner tube is fixed to the top cover, it can be inserted into the outer sleeve and fixed to the outer sleeve. The fixing method is that the cross bar is first inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch, and then inserted into the horizontal notch of the second L-shaped notch through the rotating disc structure.

[0017] In actual use, the red fire ant baiting device needs to be loaded with solid bait during installation, and the bait is added to the top cover. First, the top cover is inverted, the opening of the first tubular structure is facing upward, and the solid bait is loaded into the opening; then the inner tube is installed, the inner tube is sleeved outside the first tubular structure (equivalent to the first tubular structure being inserted into the inner tube), and the top cover and the inner tube are fixed by the cross bar and the first L-shaped notch; then the outer sleeve is installed, the outer sleeve is sleeved outside the inner tube (equivalent to the inner tube being inserted into the outer sleeve), and the fixing method of the outer sleeve is the same as that of the inner tube, except that in order to avoid leakage of solid bait and the entrance and exit of the baiting device being blocked by soil particles and soil particles entering the device to contaminate the bait, when installing the outer sleeve, it is only necessary to proceed to the step of the cross bar being inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch, and after the device is inserted into the ant nest, the disc structure of the top cover is rotated, and the cross bar is inserted into the horizontal notch of the second L-shaped notch, so that the first circular hole and the second circular hole overlap, and a channel is opened for the red fire ants to enter and exit and carry the bait.

[0018] Furthermore, the number, diameter and arrangement of the first and second circular holes are the same; the diameter of the cross bar is the same as the width of the first L-shaped notch and the width of the second L-shaped notch; and the height of the inner tube is the same as that of the second tubular structure.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first circular holes and the second circular holes are arranged in a matrix arrangement, and are regularly distributed below the tube wall of the inner tube and below the tube wall of the second tubular structure of the outer tube.

[0020] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the first tubular structure is 24.2-30 mm, and the inner diameter is 23-29 mm; the outer diameter of the inner tube is 26.2-32.2 mm, and the inner diameter is 25-31 mm; the outer diameter of the second tubular structure is 28.2-34.2 mm, and the inner diameter is 27-33 mm; the diameters of the first circular hole and the second circular hole are 3-7 mm.

[0021] In some embodiments, the diameter of the disc structure is 42 mm; the outer diameter of the first tubular structure is preferably 27.2 mm, and the inner diameter is preferably 26 mm; the outer diameter of the inner tube is preferably 29.2 mm, and the inner diameter is preferably 28 mm; the outer diameter of the second tubular structure is preferably 31.2 mm, and the inner diameter is preferably 30 mm; the height of the conical structure is 30 mm.

[0022] In some embodiments, the diameter of the first circular hole and the diameter of the second circular hole are preferably 5 mm, the diameter of the cross bar, the width of the first L-shaped notch, and the width of the second L-shaped notch are 4 mm, and the height of the inner tube and the height of the second tubular structure are 100 mm.

[0023] Furthermore, the material of the top cover, the inner tube and the outer tube includes any one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, wood pulp and straw pulp fiber.

[0024] In some methods, the control effect of red fire ants in winter on red fire ants made of red fire ant feeding devices made of different materials was tested. The different materials include alloys (stainless steel, aluminum alloy), high molecular polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride) and cardboard (made of wood pulp, straw pulp fiber). The results showed that the killing rate of red fire ants in the feeding device made of stainless steel can reach 100% on the twentieth day of feeding, and the other materials are slightly worse. However, from the perspective of cost saving, cardboard has low cost and can be degraded in the ant nest and become part of the ant nest. There is no need to consider the cost of manual recycling, and it will not cause secondary damage to the ant nest. Therefore, when it is necessary to kill red fire ants in a large area, from the perspective of saving material cost and labor cost, the material of the feeding device is preferably cardboard.

[0025] In some methods, the effects of different distribution positions and areas of the first circular holes on the wall of the inner tube and the different distribution positions and areas of the second circular holes on the wall of the second tubular structure on the control of red fire ants are detected, and the results show that the distribution areas of the first circular holes and the second circular holes should not be too large, and the control effect is best when they are distributed only below the wall of the inner tube and below the wall of the second tubular structure.

[0026] In some embodiments, the effects of first and second circular holes of different diameters on the prevention and control of red fire ants are tested, and the results show that too large or too small diameters of the first and second circular holes will lead to poor prevention effects, and the optimal diameter is 5 mm.

[0027] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a method for using the above-mentioned red fire ant bait feeding device, comprising the following steps:

[0028] (1) placing solid bait into the circular tube structure of the top cover, and then inverting the inner tube and the outer tube into the top cover to assemble a red fire ant bait feeding device. Before the red fire ant bait feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the cross bar is only inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch, and the first circular hole and the second circular hole do not overlap;

[0029] (2) After the red fire ant bait feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the disc structure of the top cover is rotated, and then the cross bar is inserted into the transverse notch of the second L-shaped notch, so that the first circular hole and the second circular hole overlap.

[0030] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0031] 1. The present invention provides a bait feeding device for red fire ants that can be inserted into the ground, which solves the problem that red fire ants are difficult to control in winter because their activity ability is weakened due to lower temperature and they go out less to forage;

[0032] 2. The red fire ant bait feeding device provided by the present invention provides a good storage environment for the solid bait, thereby prolonging the control time and control effect of the red fire ants;

[0033] 3. The bait feeding device for red fire ants provided by the present invention has a simple structure and can be fixed in two stages through the cross bar provided on the top cover and the L-shaped notches provided on the inner tube and the outer tube. The installation method is simple, stable and firm, with low production cost, and is suitable for the prevention and control of large-scale red fire ants in winter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the red fire ant bait feeding device of Example 1;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the red fire ant bait feeding device in Example 1;

[0036] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the top cover structure of Example 1 Figure 1 ;

[0037] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the top cover structure of Example 1 Figure 2 ;

[0038] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the inner tube structure of Example 1 Figure 1 ;

[0039] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the inner tube structure of Example 1 Figure 2 ;

[0040] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the outer sleeve structure of Example 1 Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 8 The outer sleeve structure of Example 1 is shown in FIG. Figure 2 ;

[0042] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of adding a solid bait into the top cover in Example 1;

[0043] Fig.10 Schematic diagram of the installation and fixing of the top cover and inner tube of Example 1 Figure 1 ;

[0044] Fig.11 Schematic diagram of the installation and fixing of the top cover and inner tube of Example 1 Figure 2 ;

[0045] Fig.12 Schematic diagram of the installation and fixing of the outer sleeve, top cover and inner tube in Example 1 Figure 1 ;

[0046] Fig.13 Schematic diagram of the installation and fixing of the outer sleeve, top cover and inner tube in Example 1 Figure 2 ;

[0047] Fig.14 This is a schematic diagram of the installation and fixation of the outer sleeve, the top cover and the inner tube before and after the insertion of Example 1 into the ant nest;

[0048] Fig.15 This is a design diagram of the red fire ant bait feeding device in Example 1;

[0049] Fig.16 This is a physical picture of the red fire ant bait feeding device in Example 1;

[0050] Fig.17 This is a physical picture of the solid bait being spread on the surface of a red fire ant nest in Example 2;

[0051] Fig.18 This is a physical picture of Example 2 in which a solid bait is put into a red fire ant nest after a hole is made;

[0052] Fig.19 This is a schematic diagram of setting first circular holes of different distribution positions and areas on the wall of the inner tube in Example 3;

[0053] Fig. 20 This is a schematic diagram of Example 3 in which second circular holes with different distribution positions and areas are arranged on the wall of the second tubular structure of the outer sleeve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be pointed out that the embodiments described below are intended to facilitate the understanding of the present invention and do not have any limiting effect on the present invention.

[0055] Embodiment 1: A bait feeding device for red fire ants

[0056] like Figure 1-2 , Fig.16 As shown, a bait feeding device for red fire ants comprises a top cover 1, an inner tube 2 and an outer tube 3. The material for making the top cover 1, the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 is stainless steel.

[0057] like Figure 3-4 As shown, the top cover 1 includes a disc structure 4 and a first tubular structure 5. Two symmetrical cross bars 6 are arranged on the outer wall of the first tubular structure 5, and a limit device is also arranged on the outermost side of the cross bars 6. The diameter of the disc structure 4 is larger than the outer diameter of the first tubular structure 5. The diameter of the disc structure 4 is 42 mm and the thickness is 3 mm; the outer diameter of the first tubular structure is 24.2-30.2 mm (preferably 27.2 mm) and the inner diameter is 23-29 mm (preferably 26 mm); the diameter of the cross bar 6 is 4 mm and the length is 5 mm.

[0058] like Figure 5-6 As shown, the inner tube 2 is a tubular structure, with two first L-shaped notches 7 having central symmetry arranged on the upper part of the tube wall, and a first circular hole 8 arranged below the tube wall. The first L-shaped notch 7 includes a vertical notch and a horizontal notch, and the vertical notch and the horizontal notch have the same width. The first circular holes 8 are arranged below the tube wall in a matrix, and two matrices are arranged, one is 4 columns × 3 rows, and the other is 4 columns × 2 rows, and the two matrices are staggered. The inner diameter of the inner tube 2 is larger than the outer diameter of the first tubular structure 5, the outer diameter of the inner tube 2 is 26.2-32.2 mm (preferably 29.2 mm), the inner diameter is 25-31 mm (preferably 28 mm), and the height is 100 mm; the width of the vertical notch and the transverse notch of the first L-shaped notch 7 is 4 mm; the diameter of the first circular hole 8 is 5 mm, and the longitudinal distance between the centers of the first circular holes 8 in each column is 10 mm, wherein the first circular hole 8 located at the bottom layer of the 4-column × 3-row matrix has a vertical distance of 5 mm from the center of the inner tube 2 to the opening below the tube wall, and the first circular hole 8 located at the bottom layer of the 4-column × 2-row matrix has a vertical distance of 10 mm from the center of the inner tube 2 to the opening below the tube wall.

[0059] like Figure 7-8As shown, the outer sleeve 3 includes a conical structure 9 and a second tubular structure 10, the lower opening of the tube wall of the second tubular structure 10 is connected to the conical structure 9, a second circular hole 11 is arranged below the tube wall, and two centrally symmetrical second L-shaped notches 12 are arranged above the tube wall. The arrangement and size of the second circular hole 11 are exactly the same as those of the first circular hole 8. The shape, size, and arrangement of the second L-shaped notch 12 are exactly the same as those of the first L-shaped notch 7. The height of the conical structure 9 is 30 mm; the inner diameter of the second tubular structure 10 is larger than the outer diameter of the inner tube 2, the outer diameter of the second tubular structure 10 is 28.2-34.2 mm (preferably 31.2 mm), the inner diameter is 27-33 mm (preferably 30 mm), and the height is 100 mm; the width of the vertical notch and the transverse notch of the second L-shaped notch 12 is 4 mm; the diameter of the second circular hole 11 is 5 mm, and the longitudinal distance between the center of each column of the second circular holes 11 is 10 mm, wherein the second circular hole 11 located at the bottom layer of the 4 columns × 3 rows matrix has a vertical distance of 5 mm from the center of the second tubular structure 10 to the bottom of the tube wall, and the second circular hole 11 located at the bottom layer of the 4 columns × 2 rows matrix has a vertical distance of 10 mm from the center of the second tubular structure 10 to the bottom of the tube wall.

[0060] like Fig.15 Shown is a design drawing of the red fire ant bait feeding device.

[0061] The assembly and use method of the red fire ant bait feeding device is as follows:

[0062] (1) Fill the top cover 1 with solid bait: Fig. 9 As shown, the top cover 1 is inverted, with the opening of the first tubular structure 5 facing upward, and 0.1% indoxacarb solid bait (purchased from Guangzhou Ruifeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd.) is loaded into the opening, and the solid bait is filled to about 20-25g.

[0063] (2) Fix the top cover 1 and the inner tube 2: Figure 10-11 As shown, the inner tube 2 is sleeved outside the first tubular structure 5, and the cross bar 6 is inserted into the vertical notch of the first L-shaped notch 7, and then the disc structure 4 is rotated, and the cross bar 6 is inserted into the horizontal notch of the first L-shaped notch 7, and the top cover 1 is fixed to the inner tube 2;

[0064] (3) Install the outer sleeve 3: Figure 12-13 As shown, the outer sleeve 3 is sleeved on the inner tube 2, and the cross bar 6 of the top cover 1 is inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch 12, and the device is turned over. At this time, the solid bait falls into the conical structure 9 and the inner tube 2. At this time, the first circular hole 8 and the second circular hole 11 do not overlap, and the passage for the red fire ants to enter the bait feeding device is in a closed state;

[0065] (4) Inserting into the red fire ant nest: Fig.14As shown, the assembled feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, and then the disc structure 4 of the top cover 1 is rotated to insert the cross bar 6 into the lateral notch of the second L-shaped notch 12. At this time, the first circular hole 8 and the second circular hole 11 overlap, and the passage for red fire ants to enter the feeding device is opened.

[0066] It should be noted that if the first circular hole 8 of the inner tube 2 and the second circular hole 11 of the outer sleeve 3 are overlapped to open the passage before the bait feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, first, the solid bait loaded will leak, and second, the circular hole will be blocked by soil particles during the insertion of the device into the ant nest, and the soil particles will enter the device to contaminate the solid bait. The circular hole is the only passage for red fire ants to enter the device. The soil particles blocking the circular hole will hinder the red fire ants from entering the device to transport the solid bait, and the soil particles entering the device to contaminate the solid bait will shorten the shelf life of the bait, all of which will lead to poor control effects. In order to avoid these situations, when installing the outer sleeve 3, only the step of the cross bar 6 being inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch 12 is carried out. At this time, the first circular hole 8 and the second circular hole 11 do not overlap, and the entire device has no opening. After the device is inserted into the ant nest, the disc structure 4 of the top cover 1 is rotated to overlap the first circular hole 8 and the second circular hole 11, opening the passage for the red fire ants to enter and exit.

[0067] Example 2: Screening of materials for red fire ant bait feeding device

[0068] In this embodiment, the stainless steel material used to prepare the top cover, inner tube and outer tube in Example 1 is changed, and the replaced materials are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), aluminum alloy and cardboard (made of wood pulp and grass paddle fiber) to test the effects of red fire ant bait feeding devices made of different materials on the prevention and control of red fire ants.

[0069] The specific detection method is as follows: in winter, demarcate the control area, and before the red fire ant baiting device is deployed, conduct a comprehensive inventory and mark the mature red fire ant nests in the control area. The statistical standard is that the height of the above-ground part of the nest is 20-30cm and the diameter of the nest surface is 30-50cm. Record the number, location and size of the ant nests; before inserting the baiting device into the red fire ant nest, check the weather to ensure that it will not rain within 3-5 days; the one-time baiting amount is 20g, and the ant nests in each area are checked on the 10th and 20th days after the red fire ant baiting device is used to feed, and compare the changes in the number of ant nests before and after, and directly spread the bait on the surface of the ant nest (such as Fig.17 As shown) and a hole with a depth of 13 cm and a diameter of 3 cm was made in the ant nest and bait was placed in the hole (as shown Fig.18 If the number of ant nests decreases significantly, it means the control effect is good; if the number does not change much or increases, the control effect is not good.

[0070] The test results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0071] Table 1. Control effects of bait feeding devices made of different materials or different bait feeding methods for red imported fire ants

[0072]

[0073] According to the results in Table 1, the killing rate of red fire ants by spreading bait on the nest surface is 0, which verifies that red fire ants basically do not go out in winter. Even if they go out to carry bait back to the nest, the amount of bait they carry back is not enough to kill the red fire ants in the entire nest. The killing effect of red fire ants by using a bait-casting device to directly drill holes in the ant nest to place bait is very poor, because solid bait is easily affected by moisture. On the one hand, the physical properties of the bait change after being affected by moisture, and it becomes soft and sticky and increases in weight, which increases the difficulty of red fire ants to carry. On the other hand, the smell of the bait is lost after being affected by moisture, and its attraction to red fire ants decreases. Judging from the proportion of ant nest reduction, most or all of the red fire ants were killed by feeding devices made of alloy, high molecular polymer and cardboard on the tenth and twentieth days of feeding. The killing rate of the stainless steel feeding device was the highest on the twentieth day, which was 100%, and it was the most preferred. The killing effect of the other feeding devices was slightly worse, which may be because different materials may emit different odors, and red fire ants have different preferences for these odors, resulting in slight differences in the prevention and control effects of the devices, but the differences are not large. Although the long-term moisture-proof performance of the feeding device made of cardboard is not as good as that of the feeding device made of alloy or high molecular polymer, the weather forecast is checked before feeding to ensure that there will be no rainfall within 3-5 days after feeding, and the weather is dry in winter. The moisture-proof effect of cardboard in the short term of 3-5 days is similar to that of alloy or high molecular polymer. At the same time, 3-5 days is the best period for the attractant of solid bait and the critical period for red fire ants to transport solid bait. However, from the perspective of saving material cost and labor cost, cardboard as a material has low cost and can be degraded in the ant nest and become a part of the ant nest. There is no need to consider the cost of manual recycling, and it will not cause secondary damage to the ant nest. When it is necessary to kill red fire ants in a large area, the material of the feeding device is preferably cardboard.

[0074] Example 3: Screening of the positions of the first circular hole and the second circular hole of the red fire ant bait feeding device

[0075] In Example 1, the first circular hole is located below the wall of the inner tube, and the second circular hole is located below the wall of the second tubular structure of the outer tube. This embodiment will change the distribution position and area of ​​the first circular hole and the second circular hole, such as Figure 19-20 As shown, the first circular holes are respectively distributed at the bottom, middle, top, bottom + middle, bottom + middle + top positions of the inner tube wall, and correspondingly, the distribution positions of the second circular holes in the second tubular structure are changed. The control effect of the bait feeding device containing the first circular holes and the second circular holes with different distribution areas is tested, and the detection method is referred to Example 2.

[0076] The test results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0077] Table 2. Control effect of bait feeding devices containing first and second circular holes at different distribution positions and areas of red fire ants

[0078]

[0079] According to the data analysis in Table 2, the control effect is best when the first circular hole and the second circular hole are only located at the bottom. As the first circular hole and the second circular hole are located higher or the distribution area is larger, the control effect will become worse and worse. This is because red fire ants will try to reduce their activities in winter to save energy and maintain body temperature. They are mainly concentrated in relatively deep areas in the ant nest, where the temperature is relatively higher. When the first circular hole and the second circular hole are located higher and closer to the ground surface, the temperature is lower, and the number of red fire ants active in this area is small; in addition, the smaller the distribution area of ​​the holes, the easier it is for red fire ants to concentrate and enter the feeding device after being frightened, so the bait can be found early for transportation. In addition, when the distribution area of ​​the first circular hole and the second circular hole on the inner tube and the second tubular structure is larger and larger, on the one hand, the solid bait will be more susceptible to moisture and the luring effect will be worse, and on the other hand, more outer soil particles will fall into the device and contaminate the bait. Therefore, it is preferred that the first circular hole and the second circular hole are only located below the inner tube and the second tubular structure, respectively, and the circular holes are set at this position.

[0080] Example 4: Screening of the apertures of the first and second circular holes of the red fire ant bait feeding device

[0081] In this embodiment, the apertures of the first circular hole and the second circular hole in embodiment 1 are changed, the center positions of the first circular hole and the second circular hole remain unchanged, and only the aperture sizes are changed, and the apertures are 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, and 7mm respectively. The control effect of the bait feeding device containing the first circular hole and the second circular hole with different apertures is tested, and the detection method is referred to embodiment 2.

[0082] The test results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0083] Table 3. Control effect of bait feeding devices with first and second circular holes of different apertures for red imported fire ants

[0084]

[0085] According to the data analysis in Table 3, when the aperture of the first circular hole and the second circular hole is 5mm, the control effect is the best, and the killing rate of red fire ants is as high as 100%. When the aperture of the first circular hole and the second circular hole is less than 5mm, the odor emitted by the solid bait is difficult to spread and attract red fire ants due to the small aperture, resulting in the red fire ants finding and obtaining the bait. The efficiency is reduced, so the control effect is poor. When the aperture of the first circular hole and the second circular hole is greater than 5mm, the solid bait is more susceptible to moisture and soil particles are more likely to fall into the device and contaminate the bait due to the large aperture, so the control effect is poor; in addition, the large aperture will cause the area between the circular holes to become smaller, which is not conducive to the climbing of red fire ants, and it is not conducive to the concentrated entry of the feeding device after being frightened to find the bait early for transportation; in addition, the large aperture will cause the first circular hole and the second circular hole to overlap before the misalignment occurs, resulting in the leakage of bait before the feeding device is inserted into the ant nest or the circular hole is misaligned and opened during the insertion of the ant nest, causing soil particles to block or enter the device to contaminate the bait. Therefore, the diameter of the first circular hole and the second circular hole is preferably 5 mm.

[0086] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A red fire ant bait feeding device, characterized in that: It comprises an inner tube and an outer tube; the inner tube is provided with a first circular hole, the outer tube is provided with a second circular hole, when the first circular hole and the second circular hole do not overlap, the red fire ant bait feeding device is in a closed state, when the first circular hole and the second circular hole overlap, the red fire ant bait feeding device is in an open state.

2. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a top cover, which includes a disc structure and a first tubular structure, and the outer wall of the first tubular structure is provided with symmetrical cross bars.

3. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A first L-shaped notch is centrally symmetrically arranged on the tube wall above the inner tube; the first circular hole is arranged below the tube wall of the inner tube; and the outer diameter of the first tubular structure is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner tube.

4. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer sleeve includes a conical structure and a second tubular structure; the lower opening of the second tubular structure is connected to the conical structure; the second circular hole is arranged below the tube wall of the second tubular structure; a centrally symmetrical second L-shaped notch is arranged above the tube wall of the second tubular structure; the second L-shaped notch is the same as the first L-shaped notch; the outer diameter of the inner tube is smaller than the inner diameter of the second tubular structure.

5. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first tubular structure can be inserted into the inner tube to fix the inner tube and the top cover, and the fixing method is that the cross bar is first inserted into the vertical notch of the first L-shaped notch, and then inserted into the horizontal notch of the first L-shaped notch through the rotating disc structure; the vertical notch and horizontal notch of the first L-shaped notch have the same width.

6. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 5, characterized in that: After the inner tube is fixed to the top cover, it can be inserted into the outer sleeve and fixed to the outer sleeve. The fixing method is that the cross bar is first inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch, and then inserted into the horizontal notch of the second L-shaped notch through the rotating disc structure.

7. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first circular holes and the second circular holes have the same number, diameter, and arrangement; the diameter of the cross bar is the same as the width of the first L-shaped notch and the width of the second L-shaped notch; and the inner tube has the same height as the second tubular structure.

8. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the first tubular structure is 24.2-30mm, and the inner diameter is 23-29mm; the outer diameter of the inner tube is 26.2-32.2mm, and the inner diameter is 25-31mm; the outer diameter of the second tubular structure is 28.2-34.2mm, and the inner diameter is 27-33mm; the diameters of the first circular hole and the second circular hole are 3-7mm.

9. The red fire ant bait feeding device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The material of the top cover, the inner tube and the outer tube includes any one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, wood pulp and straw pulp fiber.

10. The method for using the red imported fire ant bait feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: (1) placing solid bait into the circular tube structure of the top cover, and then inverting the inner tube and the outer tube into the top cover to assemble a red fire ant bait feeding device. Before the red fire ant bait feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the cross bar is only inserted into the vertical notch of the second L-shaped notch, and the first circular hole and the second circular hole do not overlap; (2) After the red fire ant bait feeding device is inserted into the ant nest, the disc structure of the top cover is rotated, and then the cross bar is inserted into the transverse notch of the second L-shaped notch, so that the first circular hole and the second circular hole overlap.

Images