Are fire ants sensitive to feeding on biogenic amines?

Biogenic amines are a class of neurotransmitters that play a role in regulating multiple essential physiological processes in insects. These functions include behavioral regulation, neuromodulation, locomotion, and physical development. Thus, biogenic amines and their derivatives have generated interest for their possible use in insect control. One example is their potentially fatal effects on the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. In this study, the response of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, to five biogenic amines was determined. Field-collected workers were exposed to octopamine, serotonin, dopamine, histamine, and tyramine at different concentrations in 10% sucrose. The rejection or acceptance of the biogenic amines, in comparison to one another and in different concentrations, as well as the feeding preference in comparison to sucrose, was evaluated. Fire ant workers differed in their preference, showing repellency for some treatments and active feeding on others.