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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141752
Title: CONTROL FIRE ANTS BY USING DECAPITATING FLIES

Author
item Vogt, James
item JARRATT, JAMES - MS STATE UNIV,DEPT OF ENT

Submitted to: Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2002
Publication Date: 12/1/2002
Citation: VOGT, J.T., JARRATT, J. CONTROL FIRE ANTS BY USING DECAPITATING FLIES. MISSISSIPPI AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY EXPERIMENT STATION TECHNICAL BULLETIN. 2002.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Researchers with the USDA, ARS Biological Control of Pests Research Unit are rearing Pseudacteon curvatus, a tiny fly in the family Phoridae that parasitizes and kills imported fire ants. The flies only attack fire ants, and are not attracted to vegetables (12 kinds), fruit (13 kinds), raw meat (7 kinds), prepared foods (12 kinds), carrion (2 kinds), or dung (6 kinds). The flies have been established in one location in northeastern Mississippi as part of a 5-state project, "Areawide Suppression of Fire Ants," and have been released in other parts of Mississippi and surrounding states. It is hoped that these parasitoids will help tip the ecological balance in favor of less noxious, native ants, and reduce problems associated with imported fire ants.