Inaction levels for the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (hym.: formicidae): A predator of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis (col.: curculionidae)

The density of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), necessary to limit boll weevil abundance, Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), below the action level was determined. An inaction level of 0.4 fire ants per shake bucket sample (i.e., four ants per 10 plant terminals) will provide boll weevil control approximately 90% of the time. A dynamic inaction level is also provided. Total mortality of boll weevil developmental stages including eggs through teneral adults averaged 97.9%. Of 100 boll weevil eggs deposited in cotton squares (flower buds), an average of two adults survive of which about half are female. Thus, the net replacement rate per generation (R_o is 1.0 which, in this case, indicates a stable boll weevil population.     

Cercaricidal activity of some essential oils of plants from Brazil

Extended screening tests on the cercaricidal activity of various plants from northeast Brazil have shown that the extracts of the leaves and fruits ofPiper marginatum,Protium heptaphyllum, andCapsicum annuum show a remarkable effect on the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni. In the case of the oils ofPiper marginatum andCapsicum annuum, 90–96% of the cercaria ofSchistosoma mansoni were killed within 15 min. According to the NMR spectra, the active principles of the extracts seem to be water-soluble unsaturated compounds from the oils or their hydrolysis products. Natural substances provide an attractive alternative for preventive actions against schistosomiasis, as the perturbation of the ecological equilibrium of natural waters can be avoided in this manner.