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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #134462
Title: FIRE ANT, SOLENOPSIS INVICTA, WORKER ALARM PHEROMONES ATTRACT PSEUDACTEON PHORID FLIES

Author
item Vander Meer, Robert - Bob
item Porter, Sanford

Submitted to: Imported Fire Ants Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2002
Publication Date: 3/27/2002
Citation: Vander Meer, R.K., Porter, S.D. 2002. Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta, Worker Alarm Pheromones Attract Pseudacteon Phorid Flies. Proceedings of Imported Fire Ant Conference. p. 77-80.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The parasitic phorid fly, Pseudacteon tricuspis was found to be attracted to the volatile compounds released by shaken fire ant workers. Among the compounds released were alarm pheromones, venom alkaloids, and recruitment pheromones. In subsequent bioassays we eliminated poison sac contents and recruitment pheromones as possible attractants. We have demonstrated the involvement of alarm pheromones in the attraction of this phorid fly to their host fire ant.