Composition, ant control agent, and control method for ants

Abstract

Provided is: a composition that is physiologically active on ants belonging to the Formicidae family; an ant control agent which is effective for ant control; and a control method for ants. Specifically, the present invention provides: a composition containing at least a sugar, a surfactant and at least one C19-50 hydrocarbon compound that is physiologically active on ants belonging to the Formicidae family; an ant control agent for ants belonging to the Formicidae family, said ant control agent containing at least said composition and a gelling agent; and a control method for ants belonging to the Formicidae family, said ant control agent being used in said control method for ants.

Description

Composition, ant control agent, and ant control method

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition containing a hydrocarbon compound for ants, an agent for controlling ants, and a method for controlling ants.

[0002] Ants are found all over the world and play an important role in natural ecosystems, including nutrient circulation, decomposition processes, soil disturbance, and the transport of plant seeds. However, they also have negative effects on human life, acting as agricultural pests, sanitary pests, and forest pests. Among these, ants belonging to the subfamilies Myrmicinae, Dolichoderinae, and Formicinae have been wreaking havoc as pests in recent years.

[0003] The subfamily Myrmica includes fire ants (Solenopsis spp.), comb ants (Myrmica spp.), leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp., Acromyrmex spp.), etc. One species of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is known as a representative invasive alien ant and is particularly problematic as a sanitary pest due to the deaths and injuries caused by its poisonous stinger. The yellow comb ant (Myrmica rubra), a species of comb ant, has also invaded Canada from Europe, forming small supercolonies that have an impact on native ant fauna and are also problematic as a sanitary pest due to the presence of its poisonous stinger. Leaf-cutter ants (Atta spp., Acromyrmex spp.) cultivate filamentous fungi within their colonies to serve as food for their larvae. However, they also have the habit of cutting and collecting various plant substrates to use as fertilizer for their fungal cultivation. They invade agricultural environments and form swarms to harvest leaves, causing serious damage to agriculture and forestry in their habitats, making them pests.

[0004] The subfamily Ophithema includes species such as the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), the common ant (Ochetellus spp.), and the white-legged ant (Technomyrmex brunneus). The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) is an invasive alien ant that has become a global problem, forming gigantic supercolonies. For example, the European Maine, the largest supercolony in Europe, stretches approximately 6,000 km along the Mediterranean coast from Portugal to southern Italy. Workers belonging to the same supercolony share common cuticular hydrocarbon compositions and are treated as nestmates. They cooperate with each other in foraging and territory expansion, resulting in very strong interspecific competitiveness. Where this species invades and reaches high densities, native ants are driven out, resulting in the extinction of most species. Argentine ants move in noticeable lines and frequently invade homes, causing damage such as gathering around food, infiltrating and destroying electronic devices, and crawling into bedding during sleep, causing sleep disorders. They also form a strong symbiotic relationship with Hemiptera fruit pests such as scale insects, contributing to the outbreak of these pests in orchards and indirectly damaging agriculture. The common blue ant (Ochetellus glaber) has also invaded Hawaii and other places as an invasive species, causing problems primarily as a household pest. In recent years, the domestic invasive species, the long-legged ant (Technomyrmex brunneus), which invaded Hachijo Island, has formed supercolonies there and is causing problems such as invading electronic devices such as air conditioner outdoor units and causing malfunctions.

[0005] The long-legged fire ant (Anoplolepsis gracilipes), a member of the Formicinae subfamily, is thought to be native to Africa, but has spread its distribution to subtropical and tropical regions, forming supercolonies and exerting a significant impact on biodiversity on islands. It also has a tendency to coexist symbiotically with Hemiptera pests, making it a problematic agricultural pest.

[0006] A control method using a combination of bait and insecticide has been reported as a method for controlling ants belonging to the subfamily Formicinae, Scutigerinae, and Scutigerinae (Non-Patent Document 1). Also, a control method using nestmate recognition pheromones has been reported as a method for controlling ants belonging to the subfamily Formicinae (Patent Document 1).

[0007] JP 2012-250938 A

[0008] B. M. Drees et al. , Insect Science, 2013, 20(4):429-438.

[0009] However, the control method in Non-Patent Document 1 uses insecticides with a wide activity spectrum (such as fipronil), which kill many insects other than the targeted pest ants, resulting in a large environmental impact. In addition, using these insecticides to control ants can result in accidental ingestion by young children or pets, which can lead to poisoning accidents.

[0010] Furthermore, while ants that form supercolonies, such as Argentine ants and fire ants, can be eradicated using existing insecticides in the early stages of establishment, damage often becomes apparent only when the supercolony has grown to a certain size. If early detection and early control efforts fail and a huge network of supercolonies spreads geographically over a wide area, even if the supercolony's population is locally eradicated with insecticides, ants from new colonies will soon invade from outside the control area and form new colonies, so the effect is only temporary, and a major problem is that current ant control agents are unable to provide fundamental control.

[0011] Furthermore, the most common ant control method is to induce ants to return to their nests with insecticide-laced bait. It is also considered the most effective method for controlling invasive ants. However, insecticide-laced baits have several problems: once the ants learn that the bait is poisonous, it loses its attractiveness and becomes less effective; and because foraging ants only return to their own colonies, a large amount of bait must be applied to each colony over a long period of time to achieve effective control. These problems make it difficult to sustainably control pest ant populations. Therefore, insecticide-laced baits are only effective in controlling invasive ants when the colony size is small at the beginning of an invasion. Once the colony has established itself and expanded, the control effect decreases due to the above-mentioned mechanisms, making control difficult.

[0012] Furthermore, the control method of Patent Document 1 applies only the nestmate recognition pheromone that induces repellency to Argentine ants of the subfamily Botryllinae, and while the repellent effect can be utilized to protect specific equipment, it has no effect in killing individual ants and is insufficient for the purpose of reducing ant populations. Furthermore, since the repellent effect cannot be achieved unless the ants come into direct contact with the pheromone, it is necessary to completely surround the target object with the pheromone component, which is not practical as a control technology.

[0013] For these reasons, there has been a need for the development of an ant control agent and method that reduces ant populations without the use of insecticides, using only substances with low toxicity and low resistance potential. Furthermore, with regard to ants that form supercolonies, insecticide-based control methods offer no means of reducing damage other than early detection and early control. Therefore, new control methods are needed in areas where supercolonies have already formed. The present invention has been developed in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an ant control agent and method that uses a physiologically active compound against ants belonging to the Formicidae family, including ants belonging to the subfamily Formicinae, Phytoforicinae, and Formicinae, or a physiologically active composition containing such a compound, to reduce the number of ants in a colony and destroy the supercolony network.

[0014] The present inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and discovered that exposing ants (hereinafter simply referred to as "ants") to a physiologically active compound or a mixture containing the compound inhibits nestmate recognition in ants belonging to the Formicidae family, including ants of the subfamily Formicinae, Phytoforicinae, and Formicinae, and induces attacks against conspecifics, thereby inducing conspecific attacks and reducing the number of ants within the colony. This discovery led to the completion of the present invention. Furthermore, the use of a composition (hereinafter also referred to as a "biologically active composition") containing a sugar, a hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (hereinafter also referred to as a "hydrocarbon compound"), and a surfactant for ant control increased the probability of contact between the composition and target ants without eliciting the repellent response seen when a hydrocarbon compound is used alone. Furthermore, the use of an ant control agent containing a gelling agent in the composition allows ants to effectively transport the ant control agent within the colony, thereby inducing conspecific attacks among many workers and ultimately weakening the colony. This discovery led to the completion of the present invention.

[0015] One aspect of the present invention provides a composition containing at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms that is physiologically active against ants of the Formicidae family, a sugar, and a surfactant. Another aspect of the present invention provides an ant control agent for ants of the Formicidae family that contains at least the composition and a gelling agent. Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling ants of the Formicidae family using the ant control agent.

[0016] According to the present invention, a composition that is physiologically active against ants belonging to the Formicidae family, an ant control agent effective for ant control, can be obtained. Furthermore, by using the ant control agent, it is possible to prevent ant intrusion into homes without the use of highly toxic insecticides. Furthermore, by using the ant control agent, it is possible to reduce the colony population and directly control this species. Furthermore, in the case of supercolony-forming species, colonies treated with the ant control agent are separated from the supercolony network due to changes in their cuticular hydrocarbon composition, which can lead to conflict between colonies and destroy the cooperative relationships within the supercolony.

[0017] 1 shows the test arena. 20-minute biting times for synthetic hydrocarbon-treated individuals and control individuals are shown. The relationship between the biting time during which workers were attacked and the mortality rate resulting from the attack is shown. In Example 1, the number of worker individuals that ate the physiologically active composition (treated bait) is shown. In Example 2, the biting time is shown when control bait and treated bait were used. In Example 3, the equipment used for the feeding test is shown. In Example 3, the number of individuals that ate control bait and treated bait is shown. In Example 3, the number of individuals that foraged when control bait and treated bait were used is shown. In Example 4, the equipment used is shown. In Example 4, the number of individuals that died when control bait and treated bait were used is shown.

[0018] Ants can be controlled by using a composition containing at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms, a sugar, and a surfactant that is physiologically active on ants of the Formicidae family, such as by disrupting nestmate recognition and inducing fighting among them. For example, the composition or an ant control agent produced using the composition can be efficiently brought into contact with ants, and the composition or the ant control agent can be attached to and / or absorbed on the inside and outside of the body surface of the ants, and the composition or the ant control agent can be effectively carried back to the colony, disrupting nestmate recognition within the colony and inducing fighting among nestmates, thereby reducing the number of ants in the colony.

[0019] Here, "contact" refers to physical contact between ants and the composition or ant control agent, i.e., not only ants touching the composition or ant control agent (contact), but also includes ants ingesting the ant control agent. Specifically, contact refers to the transfer of components of the composition or ant control agent onto the body surface and / or into the body of ants. Contact also refers to ants detecting a physiologically active compound contained in the ant control agent as a signal using their antennae or other sensory organs. Furthermore, contact also includes other nestmates secondarily sensing at least a portion of the components of the composition or ant control agent transferred to the ants. In other words, when nestmates exhibit aggressive behavior toward ants that have brought back the components of the composition or ant control agent, this is included in the effects of the ant control agent. Here, "return" refers to ants returning to the colony with at least one component of the composition or ant control agent attached to their body surface, or ants returning to the colony with at least one component of the composition or ant control agent contained in their mandibular glands or other internal organs after ingesting the composition or ant control agent, but is not limited thereto.

[0020] Examples of compounds that induce attacks by ants belonging to the Formicidae family against other ants include at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms that is present on the body surface of ants and is physiologically active in ants, and hydrocarbon compounds having 19 to 50 carbon atoms that are not present on the body surface of ants but have the same function as the hydrocarbon compounds. Below, an explanation will be given using as an example at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms that is contained in a hydrocarbon composition present on the body surface of ants.

[0021] Ants belonging to the Formicidae family distinguish between in-colony and out-colony individuals based on the hydrocarbon composition ratio of their body surfaces, and they possess a nestmate recognition mechanism that involves attacking and / or excluding out-colony individuals. Therefore, if hydrocarbon compounds are applied to the body surface of ants to artificially alter their composition, ants with altered surface hydrocarbon composition will attack. For example, the posterior pharyngeal gland is a storage organ for hydrocarbon compounds synthesized within the ant's body, but even under natural conditions, small amounts of hydrocarbon compounds derived from food are contaminated. Food containing excessive hydrocarbon compounds also disrupts the hydrocarbon composition of the posterior pharyngeal gland, and ants whose surface hydrocarbon composition has changed due to self-grooming are attacked by their nestmates. Furthermore, if hydrocarbon compounds derived from food adhere to and spread on the body surfaces of other ants through allogrooming behavior within the colony, they will also induce attacks on the groomed ants. While hydrocarbon compounds can be extracted from Formicidae ants, artificially produced compounds are preferable from the perspective of productivity.

[0022] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds having 19 to 50 carbon atoms include hydrocarbon compounds such as nonadecane, icosane, henicosane, docosane, tricosane, tetracosane, pentacosane, hexacosane, heptacosane, octacosane, nonacosane, triacontane, hentriacontane, dotriacontane, tritriacontane, tetratriacontane, pentatriacontane, hexatriacontane, heptatriacontane, octatriacontane, nonatriacontane, tetracontane, hentetracontane, dotetracontane, tritetracontane, tetratetracontane, pentatetracontane, hexatetracontane, heptatetracontane, octatetracontane, nonatetracontane, and pentacontane. In addition, some of the hydrogen atoms in these hydrocarbon compounds may be substituted with methyl groups or the like, and some of the carbon-carbon single bond moieties in these hydrocarbon compounds may be carbon-carbon double bonds or carbon-carbon triple bonds. The hydrocarbon compounds having 19 to 50 carbon atoms may be used alone or in combination of two or more. An example of a combination of two or more types is liquid paraffin, which is a mixture of hydrocarbon compounds containing any of the hydrocarbon compounds having 19 to 50 carbon atoms. Liquid paraffin is a mixture of linear saturated hydrocarbon compounds and branched saturated hydrocarbon compounds with a wide range of carbon numbers (e.g., 24 to 40 carbon atoms) that overlaps with the range of 19 to 50 carbon atoms, and is therefore useful as a source of hydrocarbon compounds having 19 to 50 carbon atoms, and is also useful for ants whose body surface hydrocarbon compounds are unknown or uncertain.

[0023] Ants that contain hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of the ants to be controlled are more likely to attack and / or exclude, so among the above compounds, the same hydrocarbon compounds as those present on the body surface of the ants to be controlled are preferred, and it is desirable that the compound be one or more hydrocarbon compounds selected from the hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface.

[0024] Ants belonging to the Formicidae family are preferably ants belonging to the subfamily Formicinae, the subfamily Botryllinae, or the subfamily Formicinae. Representative hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surfaces of the following ants belonging to the subfamily Formicinae: the fire ant, the red fire ant, the yellow-comb ant, the brown-comb ant, and the brown leaf-cutter ant (Acromyrmex subterraneus), the Argentine ant belonging to the subfamily Formicinae, and the red-eared wood ant (Acromyrmex spp.), which belong to the subfamily Formicinae. Note that the hydrocarbon compounds are not limited to those listed above, as other unidentified hydrocarbon compounds are also included.

[0025] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of a species of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) include linear saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as normal heptacosane, and methyl-branched saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as 3-methylheptacosane, 5-methylheptacosane, 7-methylheptacosane, 9-methylheptacosane, 13-methylheptacosane, 3,7-dimethylheptacosane, 3,9-dimethylheptacosane, 3,11-dimethylheptacosane, 13,15-dimethylheptacosane, 4,8-dimethyloctacosane, 4,10-dimethyloctacosane, and 4,12-dimethyloctacosane.

[0026] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of a species of fire ant (Solenopsis geminata) include unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds such as Z-9-tricosene and Z-9-pentacosene.

[0027] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of the yellow-combed ant (Myrmica rubra) include linear saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as normal nonadecane, normal pentacosane, normal hexacosane, normal heptacosane, and normal nonacosane; methyl-branched saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as 5-methylpentacosane, 13-methylnonacosane, 5,9-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 9,13-dimethylnonacosane, 9,15-dimethylnonacosane, and 9,17-dimethylnonacosane; and unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds such as pentacosene, heptacosene, and 9-nonacosene.

[0028] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of the ant Myrmica ruginodis include straight-chain saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as normal heptacosane, normal octacosane, normal nonacosane, and normal hentriacontane, and methyl-branched saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as 5-methylnonacosane, 9,13-dimethylnonacosane, 13,17-dimethyltritriacontane, and 13,19-dimethyltritriacontane.

[0029] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of the brown leaf-cutting ant (Atta sexdens) include linear saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as normal pentacosane, normal hexacosane, normal heptacosane, and normal nonacosane; saturated hydrocarbon compounds with methyl branches such as 9-methyltriacontane, 9-methylhentriacontane, 9-methyldotriacontane, 9-methyltritriacontane, 7,11-dimethyltriacontane, 7,11-dimethylnonatriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethylhentriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethyldotriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethyltritriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethylpentatriacontane, 4,8,12-trimethyltetratriacontane, and 4,8,12-trimethylhexatriacontane; and unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds such as Z-9-nonadecene and tricosadiene.

[0030] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of a species of the ant genus Acromyrmex subterraneus include 11-methylheptacosane, 13-methylheptacosane, 10-methyloctacosane, 12-methyloctacosane, 14-methyloctacosane, 11-methylnonacosane, 13-methylnonacosane, 15-methylnonacosane, 12-methyltriacontane, 14-methyltriacontane, 11-methylhentriacontane, 13-methylhentriacontane, 15-methylhentriacontane, 10-methyldotriacontane, 11-methyltritriacontane, and 13-methyltritriacontane. Examples of saturated hydrocarbon compounds having a methyl branch include methyl tritriacontane, 15-methyltritriacontane, 17-methyltritriacontane, 11,15-dimethylheptacosane, 11,13-dimethylnonacosane, 11,17-dimethylnonacosane, 11,15-dimethylnonacosane, 13,17-dimethylnonacosane, 10,14-dimethyltriacontane, 11,15-dimethylhentriacontane, 11,17-dimethylhentriacontane, 14,16-dimethyldotriacontane, 12,16-dimethyldotriacontane, and 11,17-dimethyltritriacontane.

[0031] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) include linear saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as normal heptadecane, normal heptacosane, normal octacosane, normal nonacosane, and normal hentriacontane, 3-methylhentriacontane, 5-methylhentriacontane, 13-methylhentriacontane, 15-methylhentriacontane, 5,13,15-trimethylhentriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethylhentriacontane, 13-methyltritriacontane, 15-methyltritriacontane, and 17-methyltritriacontane. -methyltritriacontane, 11,17-dimethyltritriacontane, 11,19-dimethyltritriacontane, 13,17-dimethyltritriacontane, 13,19-dimethyltritriacontane, 15,17-dimethyltritriacontane, 15,19-dimethyltritriacontane, 17,19-dimethyltritriacontane, 5,15-dimethyltritriacontane, 5,17-dimethyltritriacontane, 5-methylpentatriacontane, 13-methylpentatriacontane, 15-methylpentatriacontane, 17-methylpentatriacontane, 11,17-dimethylpentatriacontane, 11,19-dimethylpentatriacontane, 13,17-dimethylpentatriacontane, 13,19-dimethylpentatriacontane, 15,17-dimethylpentatriacontane, 15,19-dimethylpentatriacontane, 17,19-dimethylpentatriacontane, 5,15-dimethylpentatriacontane, 5,17-dimethylpentatriacontane, 13-methylheptatriacontane, 15-methylheptatriacontane, 17-methyl Tylheptatriacontane, 19-methylheptatriacontane, 5,15-dimethylheptatriacontane, 5,17-dimethylheptatriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethyltritriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethylpentatriacontane, 5,13,19-trimethylpentatriacontane, 5,15,17-trimethylpentatriacontane, 5,15,19-trimethylpentatriacontane, 3,13,15-trimethylpentatriacontane, 3,13,Examples of saturated hydrocarbon compounds having a methyl branch include 19-trimethylpentatriacontane, 3,15,17-trimethylpentatriacontane, 3,15,19-trimethylpentatriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethylheptatriacontane, 5,13,19-trimethylheptatriacontane, 5,15,17-trimethylheptatriacontane, 5,15,19-trimethylheptatriacontane, 3,13,15-trimethylheptatriacontane, 3,13,17-trimethylheptatriacontane, 3,13,19-trimethylheptatriacontane, 3,15,17-trimethylheptatriacontane, and 3,15,19-trimethylheptatriacontane.

[0032] Examples of hydrocarbon compounds present on the body surface of the red wood ant (Formica truncorum) include straight-chain saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as normal pentacosane, normal hexacosane, normal octacosane, normal nonacosane, and normal hentriacontane; methyl-branched saturated hydrocarbon compounds such as 3-methylpentacosane, 9-methylpentacosane, 11-methylpentacosane, 13-methylpentacosane, 3-methylheptacosane, and 3-methylhentriacontane; and unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds such as 9-pentacosene, 9-heptacosene, 9-nonacosene, and 9-hentriacontene.

[0033] A method for selecting hydrocarbon compounds having 19 to 50 carbon atoms involves extracting the surface hydrocarbon composition of colony individuals to be controlled with hexane, analyzing the composition by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or the like, and selecting compounds that have a composition different from the surface hydrocarbon composition originally possessed by the individuals.

[0034] From an economical viewpoint, the hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms is preferably an artificially synthesized compound. The hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms may contain impurities that are unavoidable during production.

[0035] Hydrocarbon compounds with 19 to 50 carbon atoms have high viscosity even when liquid, and compounds with a high carbon number are solid at room temperature, making them difficult to attach directly to ant surfaces. Furthermore, if a hydrocarbon compound with a high melting point were to be directly attached to ants, it would solidify on the surface, causing the ants to suffocate and die before they could be attacked by other ants. Therefore, the present invention focuses on preparing an emulsion by dispersing a hydrocarbon compound in water using a surfactant. This allows the hydrocarbon compound to be efficiently attached to and / or absorbed by ants without solidifying on or off the ant surface. Furthermore, emulsifying the hydrocarbon compound makes it easy to dissolve sugars, an essential component of the composition, into the hydrocarbon compound emulsion, providing an ideal ant control agent.

[0036] As the surfactant, a naturally occurring or synthetic surfactant can be used, and examples thereof include anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and nonionic surfactants.

[0037] Examples of anionic surfactants include fatty acid salts such as sodium oleate, potassium oleate, sodium laurate, and potassium laurate; alkylbenzenesulfonates such as sodium methylbenzenesulfonate, potassium methylbenzenesulfonate, sodium ethylbenzenesulfonate, and potassium ethylbenzenesulfonate; α-sulfofatty acid methyl ester salts such as sodium α-sulfofatty acid methyl ester and potassium α-sulfofatty acid methyl ester; α-olefinsulfonates such as sodium α-olefinsulfonate and potassium α-olefinsulfonate; naphthalenesulfonates such as sodium naphthalenesulfonate and potassium naphthalenesulfonate; dialkylsulfosuccinates such as sodium dimethylsulfosuccinate, potassium dimethylsulfosuccinate, sodium diethylsulfosuccinate, and potassium diethylsulfosuccinate; alkylsulfuric acid ester salts such as sodium octyl sulfate, potassium octyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and potassium dodecyl sulfate; polyoxyethylene alkyl sulfate ester salts; and phosphate ester salts such as sodium phosphate and potassium phosphate.

[0038] Examples of cationic surfactants include aliphatic amine salts, aliphatic quaternary ammonium salts, heterocyclic quaternary ammonium salts, and aromatic quaternary ammonium salts.

[0039] Examples of amphoteric surfactants include betaine-type amphoteric surfactants such as lauryl dimethyl betaine, fatty acid amidopropyl betaine-type amphoteric surfactants, carboxymethylamine-type amphoteric surfactants such as lauryl amino diacetate, imidazolinium-type amphoteric surfactants, and phospholipids such as lecithin.

[0040] Examples of nonionic surfactants include sorbitan ester surfactants, polyoxyethylene sorbitan ester surfactants such as Tween 20, glycerin ester surfactants, polyoxyalkylene alkylphenyl ether surfactants such as Triton X-100, Triton X-114, Nonidet P-40, and Igepal CA-630, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether surfactants such as sec-alcohol ethoxylate, polyoxyalkylene fatty acid ester surfactants, glycosides such as saponin, and cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.

[0041] The optimal surfactant varies depending on the target ants and the location of the ant control agent, but amphoteric surfactants are preferred, and phospholipids such as lecithin are more preferred.

[0042] The amount of the surfactant is preferably 0.0001 to 10,000 parts by mass, more preferably 0.0005 to 1,000 parts by mass, still more preferably 0.001 to 100 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 0.01 to 30 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (when there are multiple hydrocarbon compounds, the total amount of all of them).

[0043] The amount of water is preferably 10 to 1,000,000 parts by mass, more preferably 50 to 500,000 parts by mass, still more preferably 100 to 100,000 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 300 to 20,000 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (if there are multiple hydrocarbon compounds, the total amount of all of them).

[0044] Ants belonging to the Formicidae family are attracted to and feed on bait substrates rich in sugars. Examples of sugars include monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, disaccharides such as sucrose (cane sugar) and trehalose, and trisaccharides such as raffinose and melezitose. While these sugars are generally purified and commercially available, unrefined sugars containing potassium, calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins, such as brown sugar (a disaccharide), can also be used. One type of sugar may be used, or two or more types may be used as needed. The sugar content may be adjusted as appropriate within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. For example, the sugar content is preferably 5 to 1,000,000 parts by mass, more preferably 15 to 500,000 parts by mass, even more preferably 20 to 100,000 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 50 to 20,000 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (or the total amount of all hydrocarbon compounds if multiple hydrocarbon compounds are present).

[0045] For example, preferred combinations of a hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms, a surfactant, and a sugar for ants of the subfamily Comostinae (e.g., Argentine ants) include one or more hydrocarbon compounds selected from the group consisting of mono-, di-, and tri-methylpentatriacontane, mono-, di-, and tri-methylheptatriacontane, heptacosane, tritriacontane, and nonatriacontane, or liquid paraffin containing one or more of these compounds, lecithin as the surfactant, and sugar (sucrose) as the sugar for ants of the subfamily Myrmecinae (e.g., Myrmecina ants).

[0046] In addition to the sugar, lipids may also be added to the composition. Lipids stimulate ant transport of the bait substrate and promote the introduction of the ant control agent into the colony. Examples of lipids that promote the introduction of the ant control agent into the colony include triacylglycerols contained in vegetable oils such as castor oil, linseed oil, salad oil, corn oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, olive oil, peanut oil, almond oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, avocado oil, hazelnut oil, and orange oil. Fatty acids constituting triacylglycerols include, for example, myristic acid, palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, arachidonic acid, and behenic acid. Palmitic acid, linolenic acid, oleic acid, and stearic acid are preferred. The amount of lipid is preferably 0 to 20 parts by mass, more preferably 0 to 5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 3 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (if there are multiple hydrocarbon compounds, the total amount of all of them).

[0047] The composition may contain, as additives, antioxidants such as 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT), butylhydroxytoluene, butylhydroxyanisole, hydroquinone, and vitamin E; and ultraviolet absorbers such as 2-hydroxy-4-octyloxybenzophenone and 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-tert-butyl-5'-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole (HBMCBT). The amount of additive is, for example, preferably 0 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 0 to 20 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 5 parts by mass of the antioxidant, and preferably 0 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 0 to 20 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 5 parts by mass of the ultraviolet absorber, relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (or the total amount of all hydrocarbon compounds if there are multiple hydrocarbon compounds).

[0048] In order to further limit the species of ants to be attracted, species-specific ant attractants such as trail pheromones may be added to the ant control agent. For example, (Z,E)-α-farnesene is used for fire ants of the subfamily Myrmecinae, and Z-9-hexadecenal is used for Argentine ants of the subfamily Scutigerinae. The amount of the attractant is preferably 0 to 10 parts by mass, more preferably 0 to 1 part by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 0.1 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (if there are multiple hydrocarbon compounds, the total amount of all the hydrocarbon compounds).

[0049] The method for producing the composition is not particularly limited, and the composition can be produced, for example, by mixing at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms, a surfactant (aqueous solution), sugar, and, if necessary, water, lipids, additives, and an ant attractant using a stirring device such as a homogenizer. The hydrocarbon compound and surfactant may be added in the form of an emulsion in which the hydrocarbon compound is emulsified with the surfactant.

[0050] Next, an ant control agent containing a compound physiologically active against ants belonging to the Formicidae family will be described. The ant control agent contains at least the composition and a gelling agent. In order to facilitate quantitative application of the ant control agent and to facilitate ants' transport of the ant control agent, the ant control agent is preferably in a gel form, and a hydrogel form is particularly desirable. The ant control agent is, for example, a gel formed by mixing the composition with the gelling agent, and the form, etc., is not particularly limited.

[0051] Examples of gelling agents for gelling the ant control agent include natural polymers such as gelatin, agarose, carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, roasted bean gum, sodium alginate, calcium alginate, and pectin; polysaccharides and their analogs such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose; and artificial high-molecular-weight water-absorbing polymers such as polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyaspartic acid, and polyacrylamide. Using an artificial high-molecular-weight water-absorbing polymer as a gelling agent allows the ant control agent to be made into a paste-like form, making it possible to install the ant control agent on uneven surfaces such as tree surfaces and building walls. Of the above gelling agents, gelatin, agarose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyaspartic acid, and polyacrylamide are preferred from a manufacturing standpoint. The amount of gelling agent is preferably 0.001 to 1,000 parts by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 500 parts by mass, even more preferably 0.1 to 100 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 1 to 15 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (if there are multiple hydrocarbon compounds, the total amount of all of them).

[0052] Ant control agents containing attractants such as sugars may also contain preservatives and / or fungicides to prevent denaturation by microorganisms such as bacteria. Examples of preservatives that prevent denaturation by microorganisms such as bacteria include benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, propionic acid, calcium propionate, sodium propionate, and polylysine. Examples of fungicides include imazalil, orthophenylphenol, sodium orthophenylphenol, thiabendazole, fludioxonil, and 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate. The amount of preservative and fungicide is preferably 0 to 100 parts by weight, more preferably 0 to 50 parts by weight, and even more preferably 0 to 10 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms (or the total amount of all hydrocarbon compounds if multiple hydrocarbon compounds are present).

[0053] Next, we will explain a method for weakening or destroying colonies by placing an ant control agent containing a compound that is physiologically active against ants belonging to the Formicidae family in a control area (field, house), causing the ants to fight each other. This control technique is generally applicable to ants belonging to the Formicidae family, but it is preferable to apply it to ants belonging to the subfamily Formicinae, Formicinae, and Formicinae, which are particularly problematic as invasive pests.

[0054] Examples of ants belonging to the subfamily Myrmecoideae include fire ants such as Solenopsis invicta, Solenopsis geminata, and Solenopsis richteri, fire ants such as Wasmania auropunctata, and other small fire ants, Atta sexdens, Atta laebigata, Atta texana, Atta colombica, Atta bisphaerica, Atta capigua, Atta cephalotes, Atta goiana, Atta opaciceps, Atta robusta, Atta vollenweideri, and Acromyrmex octospinosus, Acromyrmex balzani, Acromyrmex echinator, Acromyrmex niger, Acromyrmex lundii, Acromyrmex ambigus, Acromyrmex versicor, Acromyrmex striatus, Acromyrmex ameliae, Acromyrmex aspersus, Acromyrmex coronatus, Acromyrmex crassispinus, Acromyrmex diasi, Acromyrmex disciger, Acromyrmex fowleri, Acromyrmex fracticornis, Acromyrmex heyeri, Acromyrmex hispidus, Acromyrmex hystrix, Acromyrmex landolti, Acromyrmex laticeps, Acromyrmex lobicornis, Acromyrmex nigrosetosus, Acromyrmex nobilis, Acromyrmex Leaf cutting ants such as Acromyrmex pubescens, Acromyrmex rugosus, and Acromyrmex subterraneus. ant), comb ants such as Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis, naked cut ants such as Cardiocondylla obscurior, wrinkled ants such as Erromyrma latinodis, little black ants such as Monomorium floricola and Monomorium pharaonis,Pheidole indica, Pheidole megacephala, Pheidole moerens, Pheidole obscurithorax, Pheidole para, Pheidole proxima, Pheidole rugosula, Pheidole vigilans, scale ants such as Strumigenys membranifera, Tetramorium bicarinatum, Tetramorium grassii, Tetramorium lanuginosum, Tetramorium simillimum, Tetramorium Examples of such ants include wrinkled ants such as Solenopsis tsushimae, red fire ants such as Solenopsis geminata, and Trichomyrmex destructor.

[0055] Examples of ants belonging to the subfamily Botryllinae include the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile), air ants such as Ochetellus glaber, rice ants such as Tapinoma indicum, Tapinoma melanocephalum, and Tapinoma sessile, and plain ants such as Technomyrmex albipes, Technomyrmex difficilis, and Technomyrmex brunneus.

[0056] Examples of ants belonging to the subfamily Formicarius include long-legged ants such as Anoplolepsis gracilipes, small-leg ants such as Brachymermex patagonicus, carpenter ants such as Camponotus variegatus, long-legged ants such as Lasius neglectus, thorny ants such as Lepisiota frauenfeldi, red-legged ants such as Nylanderia fulva and Nylanderia pubens, long-legged ants such as Paratrechina longicornis, and small-legged ants such as Plagiolepis alluaudi.

[0057] Among these, a species of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), comb ants, red fire ants, giant house ants, Argentine ants, yellow fire ants, rice paddy ants, broad-leaved fire ants, long-horned fire ants, and leaf-cutter ants are preferred, as they have invaded various countries and are wreaking havoc as sanitary and agricultural pests, and a species of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), Argentine ants, leaf-cutter ants, comb ants, and long-horned fire ants are particularly preferred.

[0058] By utilizing the nestmate recognition mechanism described above, effective control can be expected by exposing ants to hydrocarbon compounds containing 19 to 50 carbon atoms from at least one species of ant belonging to the Formicidae family as compounds that induce attacks against conspecifics, thereby changing the cuticular hydrocarbon composition of the ants. While the mechanism of action is not limited to any of the descriptions in the present text, it can be specifically explained, for example, as follows: Due to the sugars contained in the ant control agent containing hydrocarbon compounds, ants belonging to the Formicidae family are attracted to and come into contact with the ant control agent, even if the agent contains hydrocarbon compounds to which they would normally have a repellent reaction. In this case, the hydrocarbon compounds contained in the ant control agent adhere to and / or accumulate on the surface and / or inside the ants' bodies. Upon contact, the composition ratio of the cuticular hydrocarbon compounds changes, and as a result, the ants are perceived as enemies by nearby nestmates, both inside and outside the colony, through grooming or other contact, and are ultimately killed.

[0059] Worker ants that perform tasks outside the colony that pose a high risk of death, such as foraging, monitoring the territory, and carrying out garbage generated within the colony, are called field workers, and older workers are responsible for these tasks. If field workers come into contact with ant control agents and are no longer recognized as nestmates and are unable to return to the colony, the food necessary for larval development will be insufficient, the territory will shrink, and the nutritional and sanitary conditions within the colony will deteriorate. This disruption of the field tasks that are important for maintaining the colony can cause significant damage to the entire colony.

[0060] Although adding lipids to ant control agents is not essential, mixing lipids into the agent allows the agent to be introduced into the colony more efficiently, which increases the number of worker ants that come into contact with the agent and causes fighting between nestmates, thereby more efficiently reducing the colony's population.In addition, even worker ants that do not come into direct contact with the agent will receive hydrocarbon compounds from the worker ants that come into contact with the agent during the process of fighting among themselves, changing their cuticle hydrocarbon composition, which can induce fighting among nestmates with a time lag.

[0061] Ants belonging to the Formicidae family have different cuticular hydrocarbon compositions depending on the species, and the hydrocarbon components important for nestmate recognition also differ depending on the species. Therefore, by limiting the hydrocarbon compound components of ant control agents to the same carbon compounds as the cuticular hydrocarbon compounds of the target pest ants, it is possible to expect a control effect that targets only specific pest ants.

[0062] For example, the fire ant Solenopsis invicta (of the Myrmecinae subfamily) and the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (of the Scutellaria subfamily) are invasive alien ants that, with their vigorous reproductive ability and aggressiveness, reduce native ant populations and have a significant negative impact on the biodiversity of their habitats. However, by using ant control agents that contain only the cuticular hydrocarbon compounds of these alien ants or that primarily contain these cuticular hydrocarbon compounds, it is possible to control only the alien ants while protecting native ants. Furthermore, by using ant control agents that utilize a mixture of several hydrocarbon compounds containing at least the cuticular hydrocarbon compounds of these alien ants, comprehensive control that is effective against many ants is possible. In the case of comprehensive control, effects can be expected depending on the ant density; for example, selective control of alien ants is possible by using the agent in areas with high densities of alien ants.

[0063] In the case of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta (of the Myrmelinae subfamily) and the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (of the Scutigerinae subfamily), small colonies with the same genetic origin invade their native habitats and form huge supercolonies in each region. Supercolonies are formed by connecting multiple related colonies, which cooperate in foraging and territorial disputes, contributing greatly to the vigorous reproductive capacity characteristic of invasive alien ants. Related supercolonies share a common cuticular hydrocarbon composition, which allows them to recognize each other as nestmates and prevent intraspecific competition. This ant control agent alters the hydrocarbon composition of ants that come into contact with it, thereby disrupting the cooperative relationships within supercolonies based on uniformity in cuticular hydrocarbon composition. Because conflict due to nestmate recognition is induced not only within colonies but also between supercolonies, it is expected to be more effective in controlling these alien ants.

[0064] In addition, one species of fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) of the Myrmelinae subfamily and the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) of the Phytophthora subfamily form a strong symbiotic relationship with hemipteran pests (aphids, scale insects, etc.) that are problematic in orchards, and powerfully protect them from natural enemies. Therefore, biological control methods such as releasing natural enemies are ineffective, exacerbating the damage to fruit trees. As a result, large amounts of insecticides are required to control hemipteran pests. When this ant control agent is installed in an orchard, the population of the above-mentioned ants (accompanying ants) that protect hemipteran pests from natural enemies decreases, and the activity of natural enemies is activated, making it possible to control hemipteran pests without the use of insecticides.

[0065] The compositions, ant control agents, and control methods using the ant control agents of the present invention are preferably not used in combination with insecticides. That is, these agents reduce the number of ants in a colony by inducing aggression toward conspecifics. Therefore, if ants with altered cuticular hydrocarbon composition are killed by the insecticide, a chain reaction of ant attack will not occur, preventing a decline in the population and leading to the decline of the colony. Therefore, it is important to return ant individuals to the colony without killing them, and for this purpose, it is preferable not to use insecticides in combination. Furthermore, in the indirect use of the ant control agent to control hemipteran pests, predation or parasitism by natural enemy insects on hemipteran pests whose accompanying ants have been removed is important. Therefore, it is desirable to avoid the use of insecticides in combination from the perspective of protecting these natural enemies. Furthermore, the composition, ant control agent, and ant control method of the present invention can induce fighting between colonies without using large amounts of ant control agent in many locations, particularly against ants, which are difficult-to-control pests that form supercolonies, and thereafter the number of individuals that die due to fighting increases in each colony even without the use of ant control agent, ultimately leading to control, which is economically advantageous.

[0066] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but is not limited to the following examples. <Experiment 1: Bioassay for Changes in Cuticular Hydrocarbon Composition> Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) were collected in their colony settlement area and bioassays were conducted within the settlement area. The ants used in the test were randomly collected near the burrow entrances of multiple colonies or from foraging processions. The Argentine ant populations used in the test exhibited no inter-colony aggression under natural conditions. Haplotype network analysis using the 1700-bp mtDNA COI-COII region base sequence data confirmed that all of the ant populations belonged to the same supercolony. Therefore, it was inferred that the ant populations originated from one of the five supercolonies confirmed to be established in Japan. A mixture was prepared by mixing 5-methylpentatriacontane, 17-methylpentatriacontane, and 5,13,17-trimethylpentatriacontane, which have been identified in previous studies as being contained in the cuticular hydrocarbon compounds of Argentine ants, with liquid paraffin (manufactured by Kosakai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.). Liquid paraffin (manufactured by Kosakai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) contains linear saturated hydrocarbon compounds and branched saturated hydrocarbon compounds having 24 to 40 carbon atoms, including heptacosane, tritriacontane, and nonatriacontane, and this product was used in the examples described below. Furthermore, a surfactant aqueous solution was prepared by dissolving lecithin in distilled water, and the hydrocarbon mixture was dispersed in the surfactant aqueous solution to prepare a synthetic hydrocarbon aqueous solution, which was then subjected to testing. The mass ratio of each component in the synthetic hydrocarbon aqueous solution was liquid paraffin:5-methylpentatriacontane:17-methylpentatriacontane:5,13,17-trimethylpentatriacontane:lecithin:distilled water was 185:3:3:3:1:1000.

[0067] The experiment was conducted using the test arena 1 shown in Figure 1. The test arena 1 was a transparent, rectangular polystyrene container measuring 89 mm wide, 70 mm deep, and 23 mm high. A 5-7 mm-high layer of plaster 2 was laid at the bottom. An 8 mm diameter hole was drilled in the center of one side of the test arena 1 to serve as an air vent 3. The air vent 3 was a polyvinyl chloride tube extending into the arena 1, with an air-permeable plastic cap attached to its tip to prevent ant escape. The rectangular test arena 1 was covered with a transparent polystyrene lid 4. The lid 4 was equipped with an openable ant inlet 5 and a video tracking device 6. The plaster 2 contained 10 ml of water. Randomly collected Argentine ant workers were introduced into the plaster-covered test arena 1, 101 individuals at a time. In addition, one worker from the 101 individuals was randomly selected for hydrocarbon treatment and given a sucrose solution containing a red pigment to inflate its abdomen, thereby marking it for easy identification from other nestmates. The worker was then marked using the above method, and 20 μl of the synthetic hydrocarbon solution was applied to its body surface using a small brush. This designated the synthetic hydrocarbon-treated worker. In another similar test arena, one worker from the 101 individuals introduced was similarly treated with a surfactant-only solution, without any hydrocarbon compounds, and used as a control. The synthetic hydrocarbon treatment area consisted of a test arena containing 100 nestmates, and the control area consisted of a test arena containing 100 nestmates, and the control area consisted of a test arena containing 100 nestmates, and the control area (Figure 1) The behavior of other nestmates toward the treated individuals was visually observed for 20 minutes, and the cumulative time of aggressive behavior (biting, etc.) by nestmates toward the treated individuals was recorded using JWatcher, a free software that quantitatively records animal behavior. Whether or not the treated individuals were killed by their nestmates was also visually observed and recorded within 30 minutes of the start of the test. The criterion for whether or not a worker was killed was whether or not it was bitten by a nestmate, resulting in the head being separated from the thorax. Similar observations were made in the test arena containing control individuals, and the above behavioral data was recorded.The test was carried out six times in each of the synthetic hydrocarbon treatment area and the control area, and behavior for the first 20 minutes of observation was filmed with a video camera and kept as a video record so that it could be re-examined later. Note that all Argentine ant workers and test materials used in Examples 1 and 2 below were treated with insecticide after the test was completed and disposed of within the settlement area.

[0068] Figure 2 shows the biting time over 20 minutes for individuals treated with synthetic hydrocarbons and individuals in the control group. Biting time is expressed as mean ± SE (standard error). Individuals treated with synthetic hydrocarbons were subjected to aggressive behavior, including severe biting, from nestmates immediately after introduction, and the cumulative length of biting time in the treatment group was statistically significantly longer than in the control group (likelihood ratio test: P-value < 0.0001). Figure 3 shows the relationship between the biting time during which workers were attacked after introduction and the mortality rate due to attacks. Individuals that died were subjected to attacks from nestmates for a significantly longer period of time than surviving individuals (likelihood ratio test: P-value < 0.0001).

[0069] Furthermore, assuming that the mortality of introduced workers is less likely to occur in the control area than in the synthetic hydrocarbon treatment area, we created a 2 x 2 contingency table like the one in Table 1 and performed Fisher's exact test. The odds ratio was significantly less than 1 (P-value < 0.05), predicting that the synthetic hydrocarbon treatment would increase the probability of workers being killed by nestmates. Note that an odds ratio greater than 1 indicates a higher probability of worker death in the control area without synthetic hydrocarbons, while an odds ratio equal to 1 indicates the same probability of worker death in the control and treatment areas. In this way, by attaching hydrocarbon compounds to the body surface of Argentine ant workers, we were able to disrupt nestmate recognition and successfully induce killing among nestmates belonging to the same supercolony.

[0070]

[0071] Example 1: Feeding Test of Ant-Biologically Active Compositions. Presenting ants with hydrocarbon compounds and their aqueous solutions directly elicited a strong repellent reaction but showed no feeding behavior. Therefore, a bioactive ant composition (treated bait) containing liquid paraffin (manufactured by Kosakai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), 5-methylpentatriacontane, 17-methylpentatriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethylpentatriacontane, lecithin, brown sugar, and distilled water in a mass ratio of 80:1:1:1:10:10,000:10,000 was prepared. Feeding behavior of Argentine ants was evaluated using the test arena 1 shown in Figure 1. A bait dish (30 x 30 mm square) was prepared using aluminum foil, and eight 10 μl drops of the bioactive ant composition were placed at equal intervals along three sides of the dish using a micropipette. This bait dish was placed in arena 1, which contained 50 Argentine ant workers (heads) that had been fasted for three days since collection. The bait dish was placed on plaster 2 containing 10 ml of water, with the center of the dish on one diagonal of arena 1, a square container measuring 89 mm wide and 70 mm deep, midway between the end closest to vent 3 and the intersection of the diagonal. An ant inlet 5 and a video tracking device 6 were attached to lid 4.

[0072] The movements of the workers inside the arena were observed for 10 minutes after the food tray was placed, and the total number of workers that exhibited feeding behavior was counted. The test was conducted three times, and the behavior during the first 10 minutes of observation was filmed with a video camera and saved as a video record so that it could be re-examined later. Figure 4 shows the number of feeding workers that gathered within 10 minutes of the start of the test. Unlike the case of hydrocarbon compounds and their aqueous solutions alone, it was confirmed that a certain number of workers gathered around the composition that is physiologically active in ants and engaged in feeding behavior.

[0073] Example 2: Test of applying a physiologically active composition to ants. 20 μl of the treated bait containing the hydrocarbon compounds prepared in Example 1 was blended into a small brush and applied to Argentine ant workers whose abdomens had been marked red using the method of Experiment 1, to prepare individuals treated with the synthetic hydrocarbon bait. Similarly, a bait prepared in Example 1 from which the hydrocarbon compounds had been removed, i.e., a bait consisting of brown sugar dissolved in a hydrocarbon-free lecithin aqueous solution (control bait), was applied to the marked individuals to prepare individuals treated with the control bait. The marked individuals subjected to each treatment were placed in a test arena containing 100 nestmates.

[0074] The behavior of other nestmates toward the marked individuals was visually observed for 20 minutes after their introduction. The free software JWatcher, which quantitatively records animal behavior, was used to record the cumulative duration of aggressive behavior (e.g., biting) by nestmates toward the treated individuals. The experiment was conducted three times in each of the synthetic hydrocarbon bait-treated and control areas. The behavior during the first 20 minutes of observation was videotaped and archived for later review. Figure 5 shows the biting duration of nestmates toward each treated individual. The biting duration of nestmates toward individuals treated with the hydrocarbon compound-containing bait was significantly longer than that of the control group (likelihood ratio test: P-value < 0.0001). By providing the ants with a physiologically active composition, hydrocarbon compounds adhere to the body surface of workers that come into contact with the bait, inhibiting nestmate recognition.

[0075] Example 3: Feeding Test for Ant Control Agent A bioassay was conducted using worker ants of the Myrmica ruginodis, a species of the Formicidae subfamily, belonging to the same colony. In this test, a synthetic hydrocarbon aqueous solution was prepared by mixing liquid paraffin (manufactured by Kosakai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), water, and lecithin using a homogenizer, and sucrose was added as a sugar. This hydrocarbon-containing sucrose aqueous solution was then absorbed into sodium polyacrylate granules (product name: Newsorb, Newstone International LLC) of an artificial high-molecular-weight water-absorbing polymer to produce a granular ant control agent (treated bait). The mass ratio of each component in the ant control agent containing the artificial high-molecular-weight water-absorbing polymer was 200:1:1000:1200:12 (liquid paraffin:lecithin:distilled water:sucrose:sodium polyacrylate). A control bait without sucrose was also prepared using the same method. Before being absorbed into the artificial high-molecular-weight water-absorbent polymer, the synthetic hydrocarbon solution was applied to workers of the ant S. japonica. The nestmate's reaction was observed, and it was confirmed that biting behavior, similar to that observed in the Argentine ant, was elicited. The feeding test apparatus used is shown in Figure 6. Twenty field workers collected from the same colony were placed in a 6cc screw vial 11 and stored in a 16L8D incubator at a constant temperature of 25°C without feeding for three days to allow them to settle and form a simple colony 11. Using the test arena 1 shown in Figure 1, 0.5 g of the treated or control bait, prepared on plaster 2, was placed on a small polyethylene bait dish 7 in the center of the arena 1. Plaster 2 contained 10 ml of water. The above screw vial colony 11 was connected to an arena 1 containing treated or control food via a polyethylene tube 12, and allowed to move freely before the start of the test. The test lasted 10 minutes, during which the worker behavior was visually observed, and the number of workers that climbed onto the food dish and displayed feeding behavior such as licking or biting the food was counted to determine the number of feeding individuals. The number of individuals that took the treated or control food with their mandibles and carried it out of the food dish was also counted to determine the number of feeding individuals. A series of experiments was conducted three times using the treated and control food, and the number of feeding individuals and the number of feeding individuals were compared.The behavior of the animals was recorded with a video camera for the first 10 minutes of observation, and the video was kept as a record so that it could be re-examined at a later date.

[0076] Figures 7 and 8 show the number of feeding and foraging individuals observed after a 10-minute test period for the treated and control baits, respectively. The number of workers exhibiting feeding behavior was significantly higher when the treated bait was placed than when the control bait was placed (likelihood ratio test: P-value < 0.0001). When the treated bait was placed, a certain number of foraging individuals were observed grasping the treated bait pellets with their mandibles and carrying them back to their colony in the screw vial. In contrast, no individuals exhibited such behavior when using the control bait. Despite containing the same hydrocarbon compounds as the control bait, the addition of sucrose resulted in almost no repellent reaction from ants. They even consumed the hydrocarbon-containing ant control agent (treated bait) and carried it back to their nest. This suggests that adding sucrose as a sugar successfully suppresses the repellent reaction to hydrocarbon compounds.

[0077] Example 4: Test to Trigger Ant-Matching by Ant Control Agent The following experiment was conducted using the ant, Mesutella arakii, to verify whether continuous application of an ant control agent would change the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons and trigger nestmate-matching. A bioactive composition for ants was prepared by mixing liquid paraffin (Kosakai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) with a surfactant solution containing lecithin dissolved in water, and then adding brown sugar. Agarose was added as a gelling agent to the bioactive composition, and a stirrer was added. The mixture was stirred at 140 rpm for 2 hours using a hot stirrer heated to 35°C, followed by heating in a 500W microwave oven for 1 minute to dissolve the agarose. While still hot, 2 ml of this solution was poured into a polyethylene bait dish and left for 2 minutes to gel, creating the ant control agent (hereinafter also referred to as "treated bait"). The mass ratio of each component (liquid paraffin:lecithin:distilled water:brown sugar:agarose) was 200:1:1000:140:6. A control bait was also prepared using the same method, but without the addition of liquid paraffin. For the test, a colony of ants (Ceratophorus spp.) was used, consisting of one queen ant 22 and 50 indoor and outdoor workers 23 and 24, all kept in a plaster nest (Ant Machine No. 2 Mini, Antroom) 21, as shown in Figure 9. A square polystyrene arena 1 lined with plaster (Figure 1) was connected to the plaster nest 21, and the outdoor ants used it as a feeding and litter area. The plaster contained 10 ml of water. First, the control bait was placed in the feeding dish 7 of this feeding area, and the colony was then stored in a 16L8D incubator at a constant temperature of 25°C and allowed to move freely for three days. Three days after the start of the test, the number of workers discarded in the arena's garbage dump was counted and recorded as the number of deaths during the control bait treatment period. The control bait was then removed from bait dish 7, and bait dish 7 was replaced with the treated bait and placed in the same location. The colony was then again kept in an incubator at a constant temperature of 25°C for three days and allowed to move freely. As with the control bait, the number of dead workers in Arena 1 was counted three days after the start of the test and recorded as the number of deaths during the treatment bait placement period. Furthermore, during the test period, the colony was removed from the incubator at a fixed time each day (1:00 PM - 2:00 PM), and the activity of the ants in the arena was observed in a laboratory at 25°C.The arena scene over the three days was filmed with a video camera and kept as a video record so that it could be reviewed at a later date.

[0078] Figure 10 shows the number of worker deaths for each plot three days after the start of the test. Workers responded well to the treated or control bait, with many field workers emerging from inside the colony and actively feeding within five minutes of the introduction of the treated or control bait. No combat between workers was observed during the three days with the control bait, and no workers died three days after the start of the test. In contrast, combat between field workers frequently occurred with the treated bait two days after the bait was applied, and by the third day, 15 field workers (30% of the total workers in the colony) had died as a result of combat. It is believed that continuous application of the ant control agent containing hydrocarbon compounds (treated bait) altered the cuticular hydrocarbon composition of foraging field workers, inhibiting nestmate recognition and ultimately triggering combat. Thus, continuous application of the ant control agent containing a composition at least containing sugars, hydrocarbon compounds, and surfactants appears to inhibit nestmate recognition and increase worker mortality due to combat, thereby functioning as an ant control agent.

[0079] 1 Test arena 2 Plaster 3 Vent 4 Lid 5 Ant inlet 6 Video tracking device 7 Food dish 11 Screw vial colony 12 Polyethylene tube 21 Plaster nest 22 Queen ant 23 Indoor worker 24 Outdoor worker

Claims

1. The composition for controlling ants contains at least one hydrocarbon compound having 19 to 50 carbon atoms that is physiologically active against ants belonging to the Formicidae family, a sugar, and a surfactant, and is used to induce attacks by the ants against the same species.

2. The ant-controlling composition according to claim 1, wherein the ants belonging to the Formicidae family are ants belonging to the subfamily Myrmicinae, the subfamily Scarantinae, or the subfamily Scarantinae.

3. The ant control composition according to claim 1, further comprising a lipid.

4. The ant-controlling composition according to claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon compound is the same as at least one hydrocarbon compound contained in a hydrocarbon composition present on the body surface of the ants.

5. The hydrocarbon compound may be nonadecane, Z-9-nonadecene, icosane, henicosane, docosane, tricosane, Z-9-tricosene, tricosadiene, tetracosane, pentacosane, Z-9-pentacosene, 5,9-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, Z-9-pentacosene, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, hexacosane, heptacosane, 3-methylheptacosane, 5-methylheptacosane, 7-methylheptacosane, 9-methylheptacosane, 11-methylheptacosane, 13-methylheptacosane, 3,7-dimethylheptacosane ...5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 5,11-dimethylpentacosane, 5, heptacosane, 3,9-dimethylheptacosane, 3,11-dimethylheptacosane, 11,15-dimethylheptacosane, 13,15-dimethylheptacosane, heptacosene, octacosane, 10-methyloctacosane, 12-methyloctacosane, 14-methyloctacosane, 4,8-dimethyloctacosane, 4,10-dimethyloctacosane, 4,12-dimethyloctacosane, nonacosane, 11-methylnonacosane, 13-methylnonacosane, 15-methylnonacosane, 11,13-dimethylnonacosane, 11,17-dimethylnonacosane, 11,15-dimethylnonacosane, 13,17-dimethylnonacosane, 9,13-dimethylnonacosane, 9,15-dimethylnonacosane, 9,17-dimethylnonacosane, 9-nonacosene, triacontane, 9-methyltriacontane, 12-methyltriacontane, 14-methyltriacontane, 7,11-dimethyltriacontane, 10,14-dimethyltriacontane, hentriacontane, 9-methylhentriacontane, 11-methylhentriacontane, 13-methylhentriacontane, 15-methylhentriacontane, 11,1 5-dimethylhentriacontane, 11,17-dimethylhentriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethylhentriacontane, dotriacontane, 9-methyldotriacontane, 10-methyldotriacontane, 14,16-dimethyldotriacontane, 12,16-dimethyldotriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethyldotriacontane, tritriacontane, 9-methyltritriacontane, 11-methyltritriacontane, 13-methyltritriacontane, 15-methyltritriacontane, 17-methyltritriacontane, 11,17-dimethyltritriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethyltritriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethyltritriacontane, tetratriacontane, pentatriacontane, 5-methylpentatriacontane, 15-methylpentatriacontane, 17-methylpentatriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethylpentatriacontane, 3,7,11-trimethylpentatriacontane, 4,8,12-trimethyltetratriacontane, hexatriacontane, 4,8,12-trimethylhexatriacontane, heptatriacontane, 15- The composition for controlling ants according to claim 1, which is selected from the group consisting of methylheptatriacontane, 17-methylheptatriacontane, 19-methylheptatriacontane, 5,13,17-trimethylheptatriacontane, octatriacontane, nonatriacontane, 7,11-dimethylnonatriacontane, tetracontane, hentetracontane, dotetracontane, tritetracontane, tetratetracontane, pentatetracontane, hexatetracontane, heptatetracontane, octatetracontane, nonatetracontane, and pentacontane.

6. 2. The ant control composition of claim 1, wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and trisaccharides.

7. The ant-controlling composition according to claim 3, wherein the lipid is triacylglycerol.

8. An ant control agent for ants belonging to the Formicidae family, comprising at least the ant-control composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and a gelling agent.

9. The ant control agent according to claim 8 , wherein the gelling agent is a natural polymer or an artificial polymer.

10. The ant control agent according to claim 8, wherein the gelling agent is a natural polymer selected from the group consisting of gelatin, agarose, carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, roasted bean gum, sodium alginate, calcium alginate, pectin, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose, or an artificial polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, sodium polyacrylate, polyaspartic acid, and polyacrylamide.

11. The ant control agent according to claim 8, which does not contain any insecticidal component.

12. A method for controlling ants belonging to the Formicidae family, which uses the ant control agent according to claim 8.

13. 13. The control method according to claim 12, comprising at least the steps of: placing or spraying the ant control agent in an area or field to be controlled from the ants, around an object to be controlled from the ants, or around or inside an ant colony; and causing the ants to come into contact with the ant control agent, thereby causing the hydrocarbon compound to adhere to or be absorbed by the ants.

14. The method for controlling pests according to claim 12, wherein no insecticide is used.