The Immune Response of Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to Solenopsis invicta Virus-3

The red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is among the most widely recognizable and ubiquitous insect pests in North America. The exceptionally successful invasive species inhabits millions of hectares of American land and is responsible for billions of dollars in annual economic impact. The challenges facing control efforts have led to the ongoing search for safe, effective, self-propagating natural enemies, which in turn has led to the discovery of an increasing number of viral pathogens infecting the fire ant. Of these, Solenopsis invicta virus-3 (SINV-3) is a promising biological control agent. Colony collapse, decreased queen fecundity, and significant mortality across castes are among the deleterious outcomes of infection. Previous work has identified Solenopsis invicta viruses including SINV-3 at varying levels in United States localities, but extensive surveys of Texas localities to determine viral prevalence have not yet been performed. To assess this, we performed monthly sampling of seven study sites in the College Station, TX area and employed molecular techniques to evaluate the prevalence of SINV-3.  Sampling efforts over twelve months have exposed trends and differences in seasonal variation, co-infection, and geographic location, suggesting a complex relationship between host, pathogen and habitat.