ARS | Publication request: Control fireants using decapitating flies

Submitted to: Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: January 3, 2005
Publication Date: April 8, 2005
Citation: Vogt, J.T. Control fire ants using decapitating flies. Mississippi Agriculure and Forestry Experiment Station Technical Bulletin. 2005.

Interpretive Summary: Imported fire ants are important pests in the southeastern United States. When these ants were introduced from South America they left nearly all of their natural enemies behind. ARS researchers are establishing one group of natural enemies, phorid flies, in the U. S. as biological control agents against fire ants. Two phorid species have been established in the southern U. S. and several more are under consideration. If phorid flies have lasting impacts on fire ant populations, these efforts will represent the first successful classical biological control program against a pest ant.

Technical Abstract: Imported fire ants are important pests in the southeastern United States. At least 20 species of obligate parasitoid phorid flies (Family Phoridae) are associated with Solenopsis spp. fire ants in their native South America. These flies and other natural enemies of imported fire ants were not established in the U. S. when imported fire ants arrived and began to spread. Recently, ARS researchers have established two species of phorid flies in the U. S. as biological control agents against fire ants, and several more are under consideration. Efforts to monitor dispersal and impact of phorid flies are underway. If phorid flies have lasting impacts on fire ant populations, these efforts will represent the first successful classical biological control program against a pest ant.