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Vapor-phase (S)-methoprene alters cuticular hydrocarbons in the Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

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Abstract

The Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), is one of the world’s most damaging invasive species. Current control strategies for L. humile rely on neurotoxic insecticides; however, their use is increasingly limited due to their environmental impacts and subsequent regulatory restrictions. Juvenile hormone analogues, such as methoprene, may offer an alternative solution due to their low toxicity to non-target organisms and more favorable environmental profiles. While some juvenile hormone analogues have been tested against several myrmicine ants, their effects on other subfamilies, such as Dolichoderinae, remain understudied. Only one peer-reviewed publication has evaluated methoprene’s effect on Argentine ant colonies in the laboratory, reporting increased mortality in adult workers. However, the study did not explore potential physiological mechanisms underlying this observation. Research findings from other insect taxa suggest that juvenile hormone and their synthetic analogues may disrupt adult physiology by altering lipid metabolism and cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, key traits involved in desiccation resistance and chemical communication. The current study investigated the effects of methoprene on the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles in L. humile. To administer methoprene in a controlled manner, small colony fractions housed in sealed enclosures were exposed to methoprene vapor. After 21 days, cuticular hydrocarbons were extracted from adult workers and queens and quantified using gas chromatography. Methoprene exposure significantly reduced the total cuticular hydrocarbon quantity in both castes. Moreover, the effect of methoprene on CHCs was dependent on their class and chain length, with caste-specific patterns. These findings suggest methoprene disrupts the lipid metabolic processes linked to cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis. These findings may provide a foundation to further explore the physiological impacts of methoprene and other juvenile hormone analogues on Argentine ants and other pestiferous dolichoderine ants.

Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Jocelyn Millar for generously offering his time and expertise in hydrocarbon identification. Sydney Mun was instrumental in the construction of the vapor nests and Andrew Staviski and Jair Mendez for insect collections and maintenance. We also thank Kathleen Campbell for purchasing all materials. We sincerely thank Matt Daugherty and Benjamin (Jeff) Ellis for generously sharing their statistical expertise. The author also expresses sincere gratitude to his Ph.D. committee members, Naoki Yamanaka, Chow-Yang Lee, Michael Rust, and David Holway, for their guidance and support throughout this work. We thank the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, for supporting this research. Additional support was provided by the Western Exterminator Scholarship. The funding agencies do not necessarily recommend or endorse any opinion, commercial product, or trade name used in this paper.

Funding

The project was funded in part by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (grant agreement number: 18-PML-R001) and the intramural research program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch project accession number: 7003981).

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  1. Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    Tobias Moyneur, Kevin Giloni & Dong-Hwan Choe

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  1. Tobias Moyneur
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  2. Kevin Giloni
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  3. Dong-Hwan Choe
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Contributions

T.M. and DH.C. conceived the study. T.M. designed the study, carried out the experiments, performed the chemical analyses, analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. K.G assisted with laboratory procedures. DH.C. supervised the research and provided editorial feedback. All authors reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Tobias Moyneur.

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Moyneur, T., Giloni, K. & Choe, DH. Vapor-phase (S)-methoprene alters cuticular hydrocarbons in the Argentine ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44089-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-44089-0

Keywords

  • Linepithema humile
  • Gas chromatography
  • Invasive species
  • Desiccation resistance
  • N-alkane
  • Chemical ecology
  • Juvenile hormone analogue

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