# US 2023/0056428 A1 · Compositions and methods for attracting fire ants

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- Number: US 2023/0056428 A1
- Document ID: US20230056428A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/879,968
- Filed: 2022-08-03
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2021-08-11
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
- Applicants: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
- Inventors: Jian Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056428A1

## CPC

- A01N 25/006: {insecticidal}
- A01P 19/00: Pest attractants
- A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
- A01P: BIOCIDAL, PEST REPELLANT, PEST ATTRACTANT OR PLANT GROWTH REGULATORY ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR PREPARATIONS

## Abstract

Disclosed herein are compositions for attracting fire ants wherein the compositions contain at least one fire ant food source, and at least one of 10-oxo-dodecanoic acid, 11-oxo-dodecanoic acid, or a mixture thereof, and optionally a carrier. Disclosed are also methods for attracting fire ants, the methods involving treating an object or area with a fire ant-attracting effective amount of a composition of the invention.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composition comprising at least one fire ant food source, and at least one of 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid, 10-oxo-dodecanoic acid, 11-oxo-dodecanoic acid, or a mixture thereof, optionally a carrier, and optionally a fire ant insecticide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the fire ant food source is a vegetable oil.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the vegetable oil is canola oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, olive oil, palm oil, or sunflower oil.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The composition of claim 3, wherein the vegetable oil is soybean oil.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, comprising an agronomically-, physiologically-, or pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The composition of claim 5, wherein the carrier is at least one of a mineral oil, a paraffin, a silicon oil, water, a membrane, a sachet, a disk, a rope, a vial, a tubes, a septa, a resin, a hollow fiber, a microcapsule, a filter, a gel, a fiber, a natural polymer, a synthetic polymer, an elastomer, or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The composition of claim 5, wherein the carrier is at least one of an aqueous solution, a glycol, an alcohol, a ketone, an ester, a hydrocarbon, a halogenated hydrocarbon, a polyvinyl chloride, a clay, a laminate, a cellulosic matrix, a rubber matrix, a synthetic polymer matrix, or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, further comprising a fire ant insecticide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises 10-oxo-dodecanoic acid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises 11-oxo-dodecanoic acid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method for attracting fire ants, said method comprising treating an object or area with a fire ant attracting effective amount of the composition of claim 1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the fire ant food source in the composition is a vegetable oil.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the vegetable oil in the composition is canola oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil, olive oil, palm oil, or sunflower oil.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the vegetable oil in the composition is soybean oil.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the composition comprises an agronomically-, physiologically-, or pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the composition comprises a carrier that is at least one of a mineral oil, a paraffin, a silicon oil, water, a membrane, a sachet, a disk, a rope, a vial, a tubes, a septa, a resin, a hollow fiber, a microcapsule, a filter, a gel, a fiber, a natural polymer, a synthetic polymer, an elastomer, or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the composition further comprises a fire ant insecticide.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the composition comprises 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the composition comprises 10-oxo-dodecanoic acid.

### Claim 21 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the composition comprises 11-oxo-dodecanoic acid.

### Claim 22

A kit comprising at least one fire ant food source, and at least one of 10-oxo-dodecanoic acid, 11-oxo-dodecanoic acid, or a mixture thereof, optionally a carrier, and optionally a fire ant insecticide.