Abstract
Information about the usability of artificial sweeteners, mainly aspartame, for controlling pest ants has spread widely in the internet. With a laboratory experiment we tested the effect of an aspartame based sweetener on the mortality of the black garden ant Lasius niger, a common pest ant in kitchens in Europe. The aspartame-based sweetener was added to the laboratory jelly food of ants in the experimental group (16 colonies). The control group (14 colonies) received otherwise similar jelly but without the aspartame-based sweetener. During the 35 day period of experiment we did not find any signs of aspartame induced mortality in tested ants. In addition, 135 colony founding L. niger queens were submerged in a sweetener solution (artificial sweetener + distilled water) and 135 queens were submerged in distilled water (control). The overall mortality was very low (<1.5%) and no between-group differences in mortality were found within 24 and 96 hours. Our results strongly oppose the rumors that aspartame sweeteners are effective as an ant poison, at least with a typical dose of household aspartame products.
Highlights
In ants, protein is used for egg formation and larval growth whereas carbohydrates are used as an energ y source for adult workers (Brian 1983; Dussutour & Simpson 2009), and it may have indirect, but important role in the production of offspring (Porter 1989)
Lasius niger is abundant in human environments as lawns, gardens and households, and it is often regarded as nuisance
Previous studies did not sufficiently monitor the consumption of aspartame by the ants. This is important in the light of Tinti and Nofre’s (2001) choice experiment, where the ants (L. niger) were not interested in aspartame. We avoided this by giving the aspartame based sweetener as an un-separable part of the ants' jelly food, the treatment ants were forced to eat it
Summary
Protein is used for egg formation and larval growth whereas carbohydrates are used as an energ y source for adult workers (Brian 1983; Dussutour & Simpson 2009), and it may have indirect, but important role in the production of offspring (Porter 1989). In the green-headed ants (Rhytidoponera sp.), carbohydrates increased the survival of larvae (Dussutour & Simpson 2009). Aspartame is widely and frequently used and it was discovered by chance over 40 years ago (Lajtha et al 1994). It was at first used as a food additive over 20 years ago. In the case of aspartame, concerns gives rise due to aspartame or its metabolic products (aspartic acid, phenylalanine, methanol) each of which may have effects on the nervous system in high concentrations in blood
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