Integrating prescribed burning and insecticide to reduce fire ant impacts on bobwhite chicks

The red imported fire ant (RIFA) has caused extensive damage to wildlife populations in Texas since its infestation. Northern bobwhite quail in particular have felt the negative impacts of RIFA. RIFA can cause severe injury to bobwhite chicks, rendering them unable to forage for food or escape predators. Observational and experimental evidence has shown that hatching bobwhite chicks experience a low survival rate when exposed to a significant number of foraging RIFA. Control and management of RIFA in Texas is important in protecting bobwhite habitat and potentially increasing bobwhite chick survival and nest success. \n \nWe initiated a study in Victoria and Goliad counties to examine integrated control methods for RIFA in bobwhite quail habitat. Our research objective was to determine if a reduced rate of insecticide and/or prescribed burning could decrease the foraging activity of RIFA below the threshold that causes mortality of northern bobwhite chicks. Eight research sites were established in early 2002. Each site was divided into a burned and unburned plot. Individual burned and unburned plots randomly received one of four rates of insecticide treatment: 0, 50, 75 or 100% of the recommended label rate of Amdro®. Bait cup sampling of RIFA was conducted immediately prior to, four weeks, eight weeks, and twelve weeks after insecticide treatment. Treatments and sampling were repeated on six plots in 2003 on previously untreated sites in Calhoun County, Texas. Differences in RIFA foraging activity were analyzed among treatments. Differences were assessed using a two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance. \n \nRIFA foraging activity was responsive to Amdro® insecticide treatments. As the rate of Amdro® applied increased, foraging activity of RIFA declined. Data from 2002 and 2003 revealed a difference in mean number of foraging RIFA in insecticide treated plots versus control plots (P<0.05) when testing for the main effect of insecticide treatment. In both years, the mean number of foraging RIFA collected in bait cups in burned plots was not different from nonburned plots (P>0.05).