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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 #157972
Title: AREAWIDE SUPPRESSION OF FIRE ANT POPULATIONS IN PASTURES: PROJECT UPDATE

Author
item Pereira, Roberto

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2004
Publication Date: 7/15/2003
Citation: Pereira, R.M. 2003. Areawide Suppression of Fire Ant Populations in Pastures: Project Update. Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology. 20(3):123-130.

Interpretive Summary: A project on the areawide suppression of fire ants has been established in 5 US states by researchers of the USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL. The integrated pest management program includes biological control agents and chemical bait applications. Fire ant populations have decreased whereas populations of the decapitating flies and fire ant disease T. solenopsae have increased in areas where both chemical and biological controls were used. This new approach to fire ant control may have significant impact on the management of fire ant populations in the future.

Technical Abstract: The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is an invasive species that creates serious medical and agricultural problems, damaging many crops and cattle production. Its annual economic impact to the US economy is approximately 6 billion dollars. The integration of chemical bait pesticides and biological control agents is utilized in an areawide management program for fire ants coordinated by USDA-ARS scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL. Control sites, where no biological control agents were released, and biocontrol treatment sites, where both decapitating flies and the microsporidium T. solenopsae were released, have been established in five states (Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Carolina). All sites received chemical bait applications, a 1:1 mixture of hydramethylnon and methoprene baits applied at 1.5 lb per acre. To evaluate the effect of the treatments on the arthropod biodiversity, pitfall traps were used twice a year. Decreases in fire ant populations have been observed at the different demonstration sites. The decapitating fly (P. tricuspis) has been established in demonstration sites in 3 states (Florida, Texas and South Carolina); P. curvatus was established in Mississippi, Florida and South Carolina. The disease T. solenopsae has been established in 4 states (FL, SC, TX, and OK), and continues to spread. The project has a website (http://www.ars.usda.gov/fireant/). This new approach to fire ant control may have significant impact on the management of fire ant populations in the future.