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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180479
Title: AREAWIDE SUPPRESSION OF FIRE ANTS: DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN MISSISSIPPI, 2004

Author
item Streett, Douglas
item Pranschke, Anthony
item CALLCOTT, ANNE-MARIE - USDA, ARS, APHIS

Submitted to: Imported Fire Ants Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2005
Publication Date: 7/20/2005
Citation: Streett, D.A., Pranschke, A.M., Callcott, A. 2005. Areawide Suppression of Fire Ants: Demonstration Project in Mississippi, 2004. Imported Fire Ants Conference Proceedings. pg. 177-180.

Interpretive Summary: Imported fire ants are serious pests in the United States. Regional fire ant programs will need to be initiated to integrate cultural, biological, and chemical control strategies to manage these pests. In Mississippi, a USDA-ARS demonstration project for the suppression of fire ants on pastures has entered its fifth year. The impact of these biological control agents against imported fire ant populations will be assessed over a five year period.

Technical Abstract: The USDA-ARS demonstration project for the suppression of imported fire ants has entered its fifth year. Participating states include: Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. The areawide suppression project on imported fire ants in private pasture integrates biological control agents with the chemical bait products hydromethylnon and methoprene. A phorid fly, Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier, that preferentially attacks black/hybrid imported fire ants has been established at the Mississippi sites. The microsporidian parasite, Thelohania solenopsae after repeated attempts was found at a single mound at the sites in Mississippi. The following is a report on the status of the USDA-ARS Areawide Suppression of Fire Ants Demonstration Project for 2004 in Mississippi.