Sirex noctilio food baits, methods of making and using same

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of red imported fire ant prevention and control technology, and particularly relates to a red imported fire ant food bait, a preparation method and application thereof. The present application provides a red imported fire ant food bait, which is composed of energy main material and auxiliary material; the energy main material is composed of the following components with the weight content: insect protein powder 50-70%, corn flour 5-20%, peanut oil 9-11%, fish meal 9-11% and sucrose 9-11%. The present application also simultaneously provides an attractant matched with the above-mentioned red imported fire ant food bait. The present application can increase the discovery efficiency of foraging workers of red imported fire ants on the bait, further increase the recruitment behavior of the workers, attract more workers, and has good comprehensive trapping effect.

Description

Red imported fire ant food bait, its preparation method and application Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of red imported fire ant control technology, specifically relating to red imported fire ant food bait, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are highly damaging invasive pests whose invasion and spread pose serious threats to ecosystems, agricultural production, public health, and infrastructure.

[0003] Efficient monitoring is a key link in the integrated management of red imported fire ants. It is of great significance for timely early warning of ant infestations, assessment of the severity and extent of outbreaks, and evaluation of control effectiveness, and provides data support for the scientific formulation of control strategies and the rational allocation of resources.

[0004] The main monitoring method currently used is to conduct field surveys using bait. Within a specific area, ham sausages are used as "bait" to trap worker ants, and the occurrence level is judged based on the number of ants trapped.

[0005] Using ham sausage as bait has several drawbacks:

[0006] 1. Easily perishable and spoiled, the trapping effect is affected by environmental conditions: Ham sausages are extremely easy to spoil in the wild due to high temperature and humidity, and may lose their odor attraction in a short time;

[0007] 2. Limited nutritional composition, favoring protein as the primary attractant: Ham sausage mainly provides protein and fat, which attracts red imported fire ants based on their protein needs for foraging worker ants. However, if the colony requires carbohydrates or other nutrients, its attractiveness may decrease, resulting in poor monitoring results.

[0008] 3. Susceptible to interference from non-targets: Ham sausages can also attract other ant species and even small vertebrates, which may cause interference and increase the difficulty of identification;

[0009] 4. Inconvenient to store and use (inconvenience caused by on-site cutting, etc.).

[0010] These factors limit the applicability of ham sausage bait in large-scale, long-term standardized monitoring. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new and efficient monitoring baits.

[0011] Invention CN111011367A, entitled "A Plant-Based Red Imported Fire Ant Bait and Its Preparation Method," discloses a plant-based red imported fire ant bait, the raw materials of which, by weight percentage, include: 65-67% bait, 2-10% oil, 8-10% feeding attractant, 11.98-14.48% water, 0.01-5% *Euphorbia fischeriana* extract, 0.005-0.015% fragrance, 0.005-0.015% antioxidant, and 1-1.5% preservative, wherein the total weight percentage of each raw material is 100%. The bait is at least one of grain flour, nut flour, and animal protein powder. Grain flour includes at least one of corn flour, wheat flour, and rice flour. Nut flour includes at least one of peanut flour and almond flour. Animal protein powder includes at least one of milk powder, fish and shrimp powder, and livestock and poultry meat powder. Oil is at least one of animal fat and vegetable oil. The feeding attractant is a sweetener. Sweetener includes at least one of sucrose and honey. This patent proposes a plant-based bait for killing red imported fire ants and its preparation method. By selecting suitable bait, oil, feeding attractant, fragrance and wolfsbane extract in combination, it can attract red imported fire ants. The insecticidal active ingredients of this bait have a good chronic killing effect on red imported fire ants; it is degradable, will not pollute the environment, and red imported fire ants will not develop resistance to it. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a food bait for red imported fire ants, its preparation method and application.

[0013] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a food bait for red imported fire ants, which is composed of a main energy ingredient and auxiliary ingredients;

[0014] The energy main ingredient is composed of the following components by weight: 50-70% insect protein powder, 5-20% corn flour, 9-11% peanut oil, 9-11% fish meal, and 9-11% sucrose.

[0015] An improvement to the red imported fire ant food bait of the present invention:

[0016] The insect protein powder is obtained by mixing black cricket powder, Dubia cockroach powder, phoenix cricket powder, cricket powder, silkworm pupa powder, mealworm powder, and grasshopper powder in a weight ratio of 1:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05.

[0017] As a further improvement to the red imported fire ant food bait of the present invention:

[0018] The excipients include agar powder and sorbic acid;

[0019] Agar powder accounts for 0.5-1.5% of the total weight of the main energy ingredients; sorbic acid accounts for 0.09-0.11% of the total weight of the main energy ingredients.

[0020] As a further improvement to the red imported fire ant food bait of the present invention:

[0021] The energy main ingredient is composed of the following components by weight: 50% insect protein powder, 20% corn flour, 10% peanut oil, 10% fish meal, and 10% sucrose;

[0022] Agar powder accounts for 1% of the total weight of the main energy ingredients; sorbic acid accounts for 0.1% of the total weight of the main energy ingredients.

[0023] This invention also provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned red imported fire ant food bait, comprising the following steps:

[0024] 1) Mix insect protein powder, corn flour, peanut oil, and fish meal;

[0025] 2) Dissolve sorbic acid in a small amount of anhydrous ethanol (the amount of anhydrous ethanol should be enough to dissolve the sorbic acid) to obtain a sorbic acid solution;

[0026] Set the weight ratio of agar powder to distilled water to 0.5~1.5:100. Add agar powder to distilled water and heat while stirring until the temperature reaches 96~100℃. Stop heating and immediately add sucrose while stirring. Add sorbic acid solution when the temperature drops to 70~80℃.

[0027] 3) When the temperature of the substance obtained in step 2) cools naturally to 55±5℃, add the mixture obtained in step 1) and mix (mix thoroughly under stirring conditions to form a uniformly distributed substance); to obtain red imported fire ant food bait.

[0028] Instructions: Pour the red imported fire ant food bait obtained in step 3) into the mold while it is still hot, then wait for it to cool and solidify. Weigh and adjust the mixture in each mold to make the mass of the mixture as similar as possible (approximately 2 ± 0.5 g). Store in a refrigerator at 4 ℃ for later use.

[0029] The present invention also provides an attractant for use with the aforementioned red imported fire ant food bait:

[0030] The attractant is composed of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol (MF), 3-methylbutanol (MB), and alarm pheromone (EDP), with a weight ratio of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol (MF): 3-methylbutanol (MB): alarm pheromone (EDP) of 100: 100: 1~10.

[0031] As an improvement to the attractant of the present invention, the alarm pheromone is 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine.

[0032] Generally, attractants are prepared using a solvent (n-hexane) to form an attractant solution with an alert pheromone (EDP) concentration of 0.01~0.1μg / μL;

[0033] For every (2±0.1)g of red imported fire ant food bait, use (100±10)μL of attractant solution.

[0034] The biological principle behind using monitoring baits to attract red imported fire ant workers is as follows: First, foraging worker ants use their sense of smell to detect the odorous substances emitted by the bait, known as "attractants." Then, based on the scent cues of the attractants, the worker ants locate the bait and judge its quality by touching and tasting it. Once they determine that the food is of superior quality, they recruit more worker ants to forage there. Therefore, simultaneously enhancing the attractiveness of the attractants and the effectiveness of the food bait is key to improving the trapping efficiency of monitoring baits.

[0035] This invention creates a comprehensive food feed that is mainly composed of insect protein powder, while also containing fat and carbohydrates; more importantly, it clarifies the key role of insect protein powder as the main component; and the fat and carbohydrate components are also indispensable.

[0036] This invention addresses the severe challenges posed by the rapid spread of red imported fire ants, the limited variety of existing monitoring baits, and their inconsistent effectiveness. It provides a monitoring bait formula with a strong attraction to red imported fire ants. The formula comprises: 1) a high-quality "food bait" formula with a strong attraction to red imported fire ants; and 2) a "attractant" formula with a strong attraction effect, significantly enhancing the attraction of the "food bait." This monitoring bait increases the efficiency with which worker ants discover the bait, promotes their feeding willingness, and attracts more worker ants.

[0037] This invention creates a highly efficient monitoring bait formula, which is significantly more effective at attracting red imported fire ants than commonly used ham sausages.

[0038] This invention can increase the efficiency of red imported fire ant foraging worker ants in finding bait, and further enhance the recruitment behavior of worker ants, attracting more worker ants. The overall trapping effect is significantly better than the currently commonly used technology (ham sausage). Attached Figure Description

[0039] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 1 shows the dynamic attraction effect of different food baits on red imported fire ant worker ants;

[0041] In Figure 1:

[0042] A represents the number of worker ants captured in each group after 5 minutes;

[0043] B represents the number of worker ants captured in each group after 15 minutes;

[0044] C represents the number of worker ants captured in each group after 30 minutes;

[0045] D is a schematic diagram of the trapping point setup.

[0046] Figure 2 shows the dynamic attraction effects of FOB bait, ham sausage, and literature-formulated bait on red imported fire ant worker ants.

[0047] In Figure 2:

[0048] A represents the number of worker ants captured in each group after 30 minutes;

[0049] B represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 45 minutes.

[0050] C represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 60 minutes.

[0051] D is a schematic diagram of the trapping point setup.

[0052] Figure 3 shows the insect-attracting effect of FOB bait compared with Comparative Examples 2 to 4;

[0053] In Figure 3:

[0054] A represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 30 minutes;

[0055] B represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 45 minutes.

[0056] C represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 60 minutes.

[0057] Figure 4 shows the attraction effect of the alarm pheromone component EDP and its structural analogues on red imported fire ant worker ants when used in combination with food bait.

[0058] In Figure 4:

[0059] A represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 30 minutes;

[0060] B represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 60 minutes.

[0061] C is a schematic diagram of the test point setup.

[0062] Figure 5 shows the attraction effect of binary and ternary components of attractant on red imported fire ant worker ants when combined with food bait;

[0063] In Figure 5:

[0064] A represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 30 minutes;

[0065] B represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 60 minutes.

[0066] Figure 6 shows the attraction effect of the three-component attractant combined with FOB bait, ham sausage + solvent, and FOB bait + solvent on red imported fire ant worker ants;

[0067] In Figure 6:

[0068] A represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 30 minutes;

[0069] B represents the number of insects attracted to each group at 60 minutes. Detailed Implementation

[0070] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto:

[0071] This invention focuses on the development of two important functional components of monitoring bait: "food bait" and "attractant".

[0072] In monitoring baits for red imported fire ants, the attractant is responsible for "guiding them closer," while the food bait determines "whether they stay" and "whether they are recruited." The two complement each other and are indispensable. Compared to the olfactory guidance of the attractant, the formulation of the food bait emphasizes the rationality of its nutritional composition and its match with the feeding preferences of red imported fire ants. In particular, the control of the proportion of basic nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and lipids can significantly affect the persistence of feeding and the efficiency of attracting red imported fire ants.

[0073] Specifically as follows:

[0074] I. Food and bait

[0075] Example 1: Screening of High-Efficiency Monitoring Bait Formulas for Red Imported Fire Ants

[0076] This invention focuses on optimizing the formulation of food bait itself. By setting up various bait combinations with different nutritional structures, the system tests their attraction effect in the field environment. Then, the food bait is combined with attractants and tested in actual field application. The aim is to screen out a high-efficiency bait formulation with stable attraction effect that is suitable for field monitoring of red imported fire ants.

[0077] This invention studied the nutritional requirements and feeding preferences of red imported fire ants, and designed four homemade bait formulas with different component ratios for comparative experiments. Among them:

[0078] FOB formula is a comprehensive bait that contains a variety of protein, fat and carbon source components such as insect protein powder, corn flour, peanut oil, fish meal, and sucrose;

[0079] MA formula uses insect protein powder as its sole nutritional component and contains no carbon source, sugar, or other additives.

[0080] YH formula contains no animal protein at all, and is mainly composed of plant powders and oils;

[0081] The KY formula removes corn flour while retaining insect protein.

[0082] In this invention: insect protein powder, corn flour, peanut oil, fish meal, and sucrose can all be obtained commercially. The moisture content of insect protein powder, corn flour, and fish meal is all <5%. For example, pure black cricket powder, Dubia cockroach powder, and phoenix insect powder can be purchased from Lvliangshan Insect Farm, corn flour can be purchased from Heilongjiang Beidahuang Green Health Food Co., Ltd., and fish meal can be purchased from Hongfa Ruifeng Co., Ltd., which produces steamed fish meal.

[0083] Specifically as follows:

[0084] FOB formulation: Insect protein powder: Corn flour: Peanut oil: Fish meal: Sucrose: Agar powder: Sorbic acid = 50:20:10:10:10:1:0.1;

[0085] MA formula: Insect protein powder: Corn flour: Peanut oil: Fish meal: Sucrose: Agar powder: Sorbic acid = 100:0:0:0:0:1:0.1;

[0086] YH Formula: Insect protein powder: Corn flour: Peanut oil: Fish meal: Sucrose: Agar powder: Sorbic acid = 0:70:10:10:10:1:0.1;

[0087] KY Formula: Insect protein powder: Corn flour: Peanut oil: Fish meal: Sucrose: Agar powder: Sorbic acid = 70:0:10:10:10:1:0.1;

[0088] The specific components and proportions of the insect protein powder in the formula are as follows: Black cricket powder: Dubia cockroach powder: Phoenix cricket powder: Cricket powder: Silkworm pupa powder: Mealworm powder: Grasshopper powder = 1:1:1:1:1:1:1;

[0089] The above refers to the mass ratio.

[0090] The specific preparation steps are as follows:

[0091] 1. Weigh the insect protein powder, corn flour, peanut oil and fish meal according to the appropriate mass using an electronic balance and put them into a beaker (e.g., a 500 mL beaker). Mix them thoroughly with a glass rod and set aside for later use.

[0092] 2. Dissolve sorbic acid in a small amount of anhydrous ethanol (enough to dissolve the sorbic acid) to obtain a sorbic acid solution;

[0093] According to the weight ratio of agar powder to distilled water = 1:100, take 100g of distilled water into another 500mL beaker, add the corresponding mass (1g) of agar powder, heat and stir at the same time, heat until it boils slightly (about 96~100℃) and then stop heating. Add the corresponding mass of sucrose and continue stirring to dissolve. When the temperature drops below 80℃ (70~80℃), add sorbic acid solution.

[0094] 3. When the liquid in the beaker in step 2 cools to about 55 ℃, pour it into the beaker in step 1, while stirring constantly to ensure that the liquid and the mixture are fully mixed to form a uniformly distributed substance.

[0095] 4. After mixing thoroughly, quickly dispense the mixture into molds and wait for it to cool and solidify. Weigh and adjust the mixture to make the mass of each mold as uniform as possible, approximately 2 ± 0.5 g. Place the mixture in a freezer bag and store it in a refrigerator at 4 ℃ for later use.

[0096] Experiment 1: Determination of the effectiveness of field trapping

[0097] The experiment was conducted within the red imported fire ant infestation area during the peak daytime foraging period of red imported fire ants in spring (10:00-17:00). On the day of the experiment, the temperature remained between 15-28 ℃, the relative humidity was 50%-65%, the ground was dry, and there was no rainfall or strong wind, providing excellent conditions for field trapping. Before the formal experiment, areas with dense ant nest distribution, sparse surrounding vegetation, and flat terrain were selected within the experimental area. The locations of the ant nests were manually marked and recorded, ensuring that the distance between each target ant nest was no less than 10 m to avoid odor interference between different experimental groups. Eight trapping points (approximately 1 m from the center of the nest) were equidistantly arranged around each target ant nest to test the attraction effect of the four different treatment groups. Each treatment had two replicates placed diagonally, with five ant nests tested as biological replicates. One red imported fire ant food bait block of equal weight (approximately 2 g) was placed at each trapping point.

[0098] Immediately after the lure is placed, the time is recorded, and the number of red imported fire ants in each trapping point is observed and recorded at different time points after treatment. During the recording process, the site is kept quiet to avoid disturbing the natural behavior of the red imported fire ants.

[0099] Data processing: The average number of animals attracted at each point at different times was used as the evaluation index of the trapping effect. Analysis of variance was used to determine the differences in the effects of different dosages on the attracting activity of red imported fire ants. One-way ANOVA was used to compare differences between different treatments, and Tukey's HSD was used for post-hoc multiple comparisons. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

[0100] The results are shown in Figure 1:

[0101] In the initial monitoring phase (5 min), the KY formula exhibited the strongest immediate attraction ability, with the highest average number of ants attracted, significantly higher than the YH group (P<0.05). This indicates that the coexistence of insect protein and animal fat can quickly attract red imported fire ant workers to the bait. The YH formula, lacking a protein source, attracted the fewest ants, significantly lower than the KY group. As the trapping time increased, at 15 min, the FOB group attracted significantly more ants than the YH group (P<0.05), and performed best among all formulas. At this point, the red imported fire ant workers were in the concentrated feeding phase after initially discovering the bait, and the sugars and oils in the FOB group further enhanced the bait's attractiveness. The KY and MA formulas showed moderate attraction effects. The YH formula still attracted the fewest ants. At 30 min, the overall number of ants attracted reached its peak, with the FOB group maintaining the highest attraction level, significantly higher than the YH group (P<0.05), indicating its ability to continuously attract red imported fire ants. The KY group performed consistently well, while the MA group, despite its high proportion of insect protein, had a slightly lower attraction effect than the FOB and KY groups, indicating that a single protein component may not be sufficient to sustain the red imported fire ants' foraging interest for an extended period. The YH formula consistently attracted the lowest number of attractants, demonstrating that the lack of protein severely limited its bait effectiveness.

[0102] Comprehensive analysis shows that, overall, the attraction effects of each formula gradually increase over time, but there are significant differences in attraction ability among different formulas. The FOB formula exhibits good attraction ability at all time points and is the most suitable comprehensive bait for attracting red imported fire ants; its combination of protein, fat, and carbohydrates may better suit the nutritional needs and foraging behavior of red imported fire ants. The KY formula, as the second best option, shows good immediate attractiveness and some sustained attraction ability. Although the MA formula is rich in protein, its attraction effect is relatively limited due to the lack of carbon sources and oils. The YH formula, lacking animal protein, has the worst overall attraction effect.

[0103] Comparative Example 1 and Control Group: Feed and Preparation Method

[0104] Control bait 1: Use ordinary ham sausage bait (Shuanghui Wangzhongwang) cut into round slices about 1 cm thick, weighing about 2 g after weighing, put them in a plastic bag and store them in a refrigerator at 4 ℃ for later use.

[0105] Control bait 2 (literature formula): The bait was prepared according to the red imported fire ant attractant bait formula of Wang Likun et al. The specific preparation steps are as follows:

[0106] (1) Mix 20 g of corn flour, 1 g of spices and 0.5 g of sorbic acid to obtain the first mixture;

[0107] (2) The first mixture was mixed with 1.4 g of ham sausage slices with a thickness of 7 mm to obtain the second mixture;

[0108] (3) Spray 5 g of peanut oil onto the second mixture with a spray bottle to obtain red fire ant monitoring bait. Put it into a plastic bag and store it in a refrigerator at 4 ℃ for later use.

[0109] Comparative experiment:

[0110] The FOB formulation, control bait 1 (commercially available ham sausage), and control bait 2 (the literature-reported bait formulation) were compared in terms of their effectiveness in attracting ants in the wild, following the method described in Experiment 1. The trapping points and timing were modified as follows: Six trapping points (approximately 1 m from the center of the nest) were arranged at equal intervals around each target ant nest. Each treatment had two replicates placed diagonally, with five ant nests tested as biological replicates. The number of ants attracted was recorded at 30 min, 45 min, and 60 min.

[0111] The results are shown in Figure 2. At 30 min, the FOB formulation group attracted the highest number of ants, significantly higher than the literature formulation group (P<0.05); the average number of ants attracted was also higher than that of the ham sausage group. With increasing trapping time, at 45 min, the number of red imported fire ants attracted by the FOB formulation further increased, significantly higher than both the ham sausage group and the literature formulation group (P<0.05). At 60 min, the number of ants attracted in each group did not increase significantly, approaching saturation; and the number of ants attracted by the FOB group was also significantly higher than that of the ham sausage group and the literature formulation group (P<0.05). The literature formulation bait consistently attracted a lower number of ants throughout the experiment, and at both 45 min and 60 min, it was significantly lower than both the FOB and ham sausage groups, demonstrating the weakest attraction ability.

[0112] The overall results show that the FOB formula bait significantly outperforms existing conventional baits and literature formulations in attracting insects, demonstrating stronger attractiveness and sustained trapping ability. This formula, by introducing multiple nutrient sources such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats, achieves good physical texture and odor diffusion through appropriate proportions, making it more aligned with the foraging preferences of red imported fire ants.

[0113] Comparative Example 2: The "insect protein powder" in the FOB formula was replaced with "milk powder" as described in CN111011367A, with the weight remaining unchanged, and the rest being the same as the FOB formula.

[0114] Comparative Example 3: The "insect protein powder" in the FOB formula was replaced with "livestock and poultry meat meal" as described in CN111011367A, with the weight remaining unchanged, while the rest was the same as the FOB formula.

[0115] Comparative Example 4: The use of "Dubia cockroach powder and phoenix worm powder" was removed from the insect protein powder. That is, the specific ingredients and ratio of the insect protein powder are as follows: black cricket powder: cricket powder: silkworm pupa powder: mealworm powder: grasshopper powder = 1:1:1:1:1; the rest are the same as the FOB formula.

[0116] The FOB formulation, Comparative Example 2, Comparative Example 3, and Comparative Example 4 were tested according to the method described in Experiment 1 above, and the time points are shown in Figure 3.

[0117] The results are shown in Figure 3: At 30 min, the FOB group had the highest number of insects attracted, significantly higher than comparative groups 2, 3, and 4 (P<0.05). At 45 min, the number of insects attracted increased in all groups; the FOB group had the highest number, significantly higher than comparative groups 2 and 3 (P<0.05); the average number of insects attracted by the FOB group was higher than that of comparative group 4; the number of insects attracted by comparative group 2 was significantly lower than that of the other three groups. At 60 min, the FOB group maintained the highest number of insects attracted, significantly higher than the other three comparative groups (P<0.05); meanwhile, the number of insects attracted by comparative group 2 was significantly lower than that of the other three groups. The overall results indicate that FOB bait had the best overall attracting effect throughout the process, followed by comparative group 4, and comparative group 2 had the worst effect.

[0118] II. Lure

[0119] Highly effective attractants can quickly guide red imported fire ants to food bait through olfactory action. Among them, the alarm pheromone component 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine (EDP) has been reported to increase recruitment behavior of red imported fire ant workers during foraging; adding it to food bait at specific doses can increase the bait's attractiveness to some extent, but the effect is limited. This invention discovers a multi-component attractant formulation that can significantly increase the attractiveness of food bait.

[0120] Experiment 2: Determination of the attraction effect of alarm pheromone EDP and its structural analogues

[0121] The following four experimental groups were set up to verify the synergistic effect of EDP and its structural analogs on food bait: control group (CK: solvent), alarm pheromone (EDP), 2-acetyl-3,5(6)-dimethylpyrazine (ADP), and 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine (TDP).

[0122] The aforementioned alarm pheromone EDP and its structural analogues can all be purchased from Shanghai Aladdin Biochemical Technology Co., Ltd.

[0123] The experimental method is as follows:

[0124] Attractant preparation and lure fabrication: EDP, ADP, and TDP were prepared as 0.1 μg / μL standards using n-hexane as solvent. In a fume hood, 100 μL of sample was pipetted into a slow-release lure (e.g., a PE slow-release lure, approximately 10 mm in diameter and 5 mm thick). After the solvent had completely evaporated, the lures were aliquoted, sealed, and stored at -20 °C for later use. The control group received only the same volume of solvent. The lures were removed and deployed on the day of testing.

[0125] Attraction effect test: The distance between ant nests was no less than 10 m. Around each target ant nest, 9 trapping points were arranged at equal intervals (about 1 m from the center of the ant nest). The attraction effect of each group was tested using the Latin square crossover method. The experiment cross-tested 4 experimental groups among 4 nests, so that each experimental group appeared in different nests at least 3 times to control for differences between nests and location effects as much as possible. 9 fixed test points were set up in each nest, and 3 experimental groups were placed at the same time. Each experimental group had 3 replicates. The 3 replicate points were arranged in an equilateral triangle (see C in Figure 4. In this figure, the letters a, b, and c represent different experimental groups, and the numbers 1, 2, and 3 represent different replicates of the same experimental group).

[0126] During the test, each group used the FOB formula from Example 1 as food bait (2g). The slow-release lure with added solvent or different attractants was placed on the food bait block, and each group was quickly deployed to the test point. After deployment, the timer was started, and the number of worker ants trapped at each test point in each nest was counted at 30 and 60 minutes. The data processing method was the same as in Experiment 1.

[0127] The results are shown in Figure 4.

[0128] The results showed that at 30 min, the EDP and TDP groups had the highest insect attraction, significantly higher than the CK group (P<0.05); the ADP group had an intermediate attraction. At 60 min, the trends of difference among treatments remained consistent with those at 30 min. The insect attraction in the EDP and TDP groups was still significantly higher than that in the CK group (P<0.05), and the average attraction in the EDP group was higher than that in the TDP group; the insect attraction in the ADP group remained at a moderate level. The overall results indicate that both EDP and TDP significantly increased the insect attraction from food bait at both time points, with the EDP group having the highest average insect attraction; both groups showed superior insect attraction effects.

[0129] Experiment 3: Determination of the attraction effects of binary and ternary components of attractants

[0130] To verify the synergistic effect of binary or ternary combinations of different volatile attractants on the insect-attracting effect of food bait, the following experimental groups were set up:

[0131] CK (control group): solvent n-hexane;

[0132] MF + MB + EDP (ternary component): MF, MB, and EDP are dissolved in n-hexane to obtain the MF + MB + EDP (ternary component) solution. The concentrations of MF and MB are 1 μg / μL, and the concentration of EDP is 0.1 μg / μL; that is, the mass ratio of MF:MB:EDP is 10:10:1.

[0133] MF + EDP (binary component): Dissolve MF and EDP in n-hexane to obtain the MF + EDP (binary component) solution. The concentration of MF is 2 μg / μL and the concentration of EDP is 0.1 μg / μL; that is, the mass ratio of MF:EDP is 20:1.

[0134] MF + MB (binary component): Dissolve MF and MB in n-hexane to obtain the MF + MB (binary component) solution. The concentration of MF and MB is 1 μg / μL; MF:EDP = 10:10 mass ratio;

[0135] MB + EDP (binary component): MB and EDP are dissolved in n-hexane to obtain an MB + EDP (binary component) solution. The concentration of MB is 2 μg / μL and the concentration of EDP is 0.1 μg / μL. The mass ratio of MB to EDP is 20:1.

[0136] The aforementioned MF, MB, and EDP were all purchased from Shanghai Aladdin Biochemical Technology Co., Ltd.

[0137] The experimental method is as follows:

[0138] Attractant preparation and lure fabrication: Using a pipette in a fume hood, add 100 μL of the above sample solution to a PE slow-release lure. After the solvent has completely evaporated, dispense and seal the lure, then freeze and store at -20°C for later use. The control group (CK group) only requires an equal volume of n-hexane. On the day of the experiment, remove the lure, thaw, and deploy it in the field.

[0139] Attraction effectiveness test: Referring to Experiment 3 (using a Latin square crossover experiment setup, with the same principle as Experiment 3), five experimental groups were cross-tested among five nests. Each group used 2g of FOB food bait from Example 1 as the base bait, with the corresponding lure placed on the bait block. Timing began immediately after the baiting points were set up, and the number of worker ants captured at each test point was recorded at 30 min and 60 min. Data analysis was performed using the same methods as in the previous experiment.

[0140] The results are shown in Figure 5, and are detailed below:

[0141] At 30 min (Figure 5A), the ternary combination showed the highest insect attraction, significantly higher than the control (CK) (P<0.05) and also higher than the binary combination. Among the binary combinations, MF + MB and MB + EDP showed relatively high insect attraction, but lower than the ternary combination; MF + EDP showed the lowest insect attraction. At 60 min (Figure 5B), the overall insect attraction in all treatment groups increased, with the trend largely consistent with that at 30 min. The ternary combination still exhibited the strongest insect attraction effect, significantly higher than the CK group (P<0.05), and its average insect attraction was higher than all binary combinations. Among the binary combinations, MF + MB and MB + EDP showed moderate to high insect attraction, while MF + EDP showed the lowest insect attraction.

[0142] The overall results showed that the ternary components had the strongest synergistic effect on the insect attraction of food bait at both time points, the combination of binary components MF + MB and MB + EDP had a certain synergistic effect, while the synergistic effect of MF + EDP was the weakest.

[0143] Experiment 4, Comparative Experiment

[0144] Three sets of experiments were set up to further compare the insect-attracting effects of the three-component FOB food bait + attractant, ham sausage (i.e., ham sausage + solvent), and FOB food bait (FOB food bait + solvent).

[0145] The preparation of the attractant and the preparation of the lure core were the same as in Experiment 3, with 2 g of ham sausage and FOB bait used.

[0146] Attraction effect test: Nine test points were set up at equal intervals 1 meter away from the center of the nest. The three experimental groups were released in the manner shown in Figure 4C, with the three replicates within each group arranged in a triangle. Five nests were used as biological replicates. Data statistics and analysis methods were the same as in Experiment 3.

[0147] The results are shown in Figure 6, and are detailed below:

[0148] At 30 min (Figure 6A), the FOB bait + ternary attractant combination showed the highest insect attraction, significantly higher than the ham sausage group (P<0.05). The FOB bait alone attracted insects at an intermediate level, while the ham sausage group attracted the lowest. At 60 min (Figure 6B), the insect attraction in all treatment groups increased overall, and the differences between groups became more significant. The FOB bait + ternary attractant combination still had the strongest insect attraction effect, significantly higher than both the ham sausage and FOB groups, while the ham sausage group showed the weakest insect attraction effect. The overall results indicate that the combination of FOB bait and the attractant ternary attractant combination has the strongest attractant effect.

[0149] Finally, it should be noted that the above examples are merely some specific embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and many variations are possible. All variations that can be directly derived or conceived by those skilled in the art from the disclosure of the present invention should be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An attractant used in conjunction with red imported fire ant food bait, characterized in that: The attractant is composed of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 3-methylbutanol, and an alarm pheromone, with a weight ratio of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol:3-methylbutanol:alarm pheromone of 100:100:1~10; the alarm pheromone is 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine. The red imported fire ant food bait consists of a main energy ingredient and auxiliary ingredients; the main energy ingredient consists of the following components by weight: 50-70% insect protein powder, 5-20% corn flour, 9-11% peanut oil, 9-11% fish meal, and 9-11% sucrose; the insect protein powder is obtained by mixing black cricket powder, Dubia cockroach powder, phoenix cricket powder, cricket powder, silkworm pupa powder, mealworm powder, and grasshopper powder in a weight ratio of 1:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.

05.

2. The attractant used with red imported fire ant food bait according to claim 1, characterized in that: The excipients include agar powder and sorbic acid; agar powder accounts for 0.5-1.5% of the total weight of the main energy ingredients; sorbic acid accounts for 0.09-0.11% of the total weight of the main energy ingredients.

3. The attractant used with red imported fire ant food bait according to claim 2, characterized in that: The energy main ingredient is composed of the following components by weight: 50% insect protein powder, 20% corn flour, 10% peanut oil, 10% fish meal, and 10% sucrose; agar powder accounts for 1% of the total weight of the energy main ingredient; and sorbic acid accounts for 0.1% of the total weight of the energy main ingredient.

4. A method for using red imported fire ant food bait and attractant in combination, characterized in that: The attractant is composed of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 3-methylbutanol, and an alarm pheromone, with a weight ratio of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol:3-methylbutanol:alarm pheromone of 100:100:1~10; the alarm pheromone is 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine. The red imported fire ant food bait consists of a main energy ingredient and auxiliary ingredients; the main energy ingredient consists of the following components in weight percentage: 50-70% insect protein powder, 5-20% corn flour, 9-11% peanut oil, 9-11% fish meal, and 9-11% sucrose; the insect protein powder is obtained by mixing black cricket powder: Dubia cockroach powder: phoenix insect powder: cricket powder: silkworm pupa powder: mealworm powder: grasshopper powder = 1:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05:1±0.05 by weight ratio; the attractant is prepared into an attractant solution with a concentration of 0.01-0.1 μg / μL using a solvent; each (2±0.1) g of red imported fire ant food bait is mixed with (100±10) μL of attractant solution.

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