Effects of Mirex on the Arthropod Fauna of a Louisiana Sugarcane Field

Abstract

Infestations and damage to sugarcane by the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), increased 53% and 69%, respectively, following one application of mirex to sugarcane field plots for control of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. Decrease in populations of arthropod predators, especially S. invicta, carabids, and staphylinids was responsible for increased sugarcane borer populations. Mirex did not appear to affect spider populations, but decreased numbers of crickets. Azinphozmethyl applied for sugarcane borer control decreased both spiders and crickets. S. invicta was the only ant species collected in experimental plots. These data show that mirex is not as specific to the red imported fire ant as previous reports have indicated.