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The permanent establishment of a new species of phorid fly is bad news
for the red imported fire ant, according to Agricultural Research
Service scientists who are working to control the aggressive ant that
has spread across the southern United States.
The establishment of the fly Pseudacteon curvatus is significant
because it is the smallest of the decapitating flies. This means it can
parasitize small worker ants--the most abundant workers in an ant
colony. Phorid fly maggots live in the head capsules of their fire ant
hosts, eventually decapitating them and pupating inside their heads.
Phorid flies attack only fire ants.
ARS scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary
Entomology in Gainesville, Fla., recently reported that they collected
P. curvatus flies from a research site southwest of Gainesville, one
year after the flies were initially released. This confirms the first
overwinter survival and permanent establishment of P. curvatus on red
imported fire ants in the United States.
Sanford D. Porter, acting research leader of the ARS Imported Fire Ant
and Household Insects Research Unit in Gainesville, and Juan Briano,
director of the ARS South American Biological Control Laboratory in
Argentina, originally collected P. curvatus in Argentina in October
2001. The flies were released at the Gainesville site in March 2003 and
have been found in increasing numbers ever since.
According to Porter, another biotype of P. curvatus was previously
established on hybrid fire ants, but it did not prefer red fire ants.
The more recent establishment came from a biotype that prefers the much
more abundant red imported fire ants.
There are about 20 species of phorid flies in South America that
specifically attack fire ants. P. curvatus and P. tricuspis are the only
ones known to be established here.
P. curvatus is one more natural enemy of fire ants that scientists can
add to their arsenal of biological control agents. Fire ant populations
are much greater in the United States than they are in South America,
where natural enemies appear to keep them from being the dominant
species.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research
agency.
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The permanent establishment of a new =
species of
phorid fly is bad news
for the red imported fire ant, according to
Agricultural Research
Service scientists who are working to control =
the
aggressive ant that
has spread across the southern United =
States.
The
establishment of the fly Pseudacteon curvatus is significant
because =
it is
the smallest of the decapitating flies. This means it can
parasitize =
small
worker ants--the most abundant workers in an ant
colony. Phorid fly =
maggots
live in the head capsules of their fire ant
hosts, eventually =
decapitating
them and pupating inside their heads.
Phorid flies attack only fire
ants.
ARS scientists at the Center for Medical, Agricultural and
Veterinary
Entomology in Gainesville, Fla., recently reported that =
they
collected
P. curvatus flies from a research site southwest of =
Gainesville,
one
year after the flies were initially released. This confirms the
first
overwinter survival and permanent establishment of P. curvatus =
on
red
imported fire ants in the United States.
Sanford D. =
Porter, acting
research leader of the ARS Imported Fire Ant
and Household Insects =
Research
Unit in Gainesville, and Juan Briano,
director of the ARS South =
American
Biological Control Laboratory in
Argentina, originally collected P. =
curvatus
in Argentina in October
2001. The flies were released at the =
Gainesville site
in March 2003 and
have been found in increasing numbers ever
since.
According to Porter, another biotype of P. curvatus was
previously
established on hybrid fire ants, but it did not prefer red =
fire
ants.
The more recent establishment came from a biotype that prefers =
the
much
more abundant red imported fire ants.
There are about 20 =
species
of phorid flies in South America that
specifically attack fire ants. =
P.
curvatus and P. tricuspis are the only
ones known to be established
here.
P. curvatus is one more natural enemy of fire ants that =
scientists
can
add to their arsenal of biological control agents. Fire ant
populations
are much greater in the United States than they are in =
South
America,
where natural enemies appear to keep them from being the
dominant
species.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's =
chief
scientific
research
agency.
<snipped>
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