Lateral Flow Immunoassay Developed for Rapid Field Detection of Red Imported Fire Ant
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Entomologists from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed a rapid field test to identify the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. This ant is damaging to agriculture and wildlife, and can inflict a painful venomous sting. Being able to correctly distinguish the red imported fire ant from native fire ants is essential to effectively managing and containing this invasive pest. Previous efforts to develop rapid field identification kits failed because tests were too time consuming, or were unable to differentiate between native and invasive fire ants. The new test developed by USDA scientists looks similarly to an over-the-counter pregnancy test, and uses unique proteins found in the red imported fire ant’s venom to distinguish it from native ants. You simply macerate the ants in a provided solution, place a specialized test strip in the solution and wait 10 minutes for the results. Once commercially available, this tool could expedite specimen identification for regulatory agencies and pest management professionals, improving quarantine and management efforts for this damaging invader.
This article was published in the journal of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.
