When the maggot is ready to pupate, it releases an enzyme that causes the

intercuticular membranes of its host to degenerate which loosens the head and sometimes

the legs. The maggot then proceeds to consume the entire contents of the ant head leading

to the decapitation of its living host. The ant's mandibles and tongue apparatus are

pushed aside by a series of hydraulic extensions by the maggot (Porter et al. 1995b,

Porter 1998a). The maggot orients itself under the tentorial arms inside the head capsule

where the first three segments compress and harden forming a distinctive sclerotized cap

that fills the oral cavity (Porter 1998a). Depending on temperature, pupal development

takes 2-6 weeks (Porter 1998a). The sclerotized cap pops open and the adult fly slips out

of the ant head capsule within a few seconds. Newly emerged flies mate and lay eggs

within several hours of eclosion (Porter 1998a). Female flies contain 100-200 sexually

mature eggs in their ovaries upon emergence (Zacaro and Porter 2003) and adult flies can

live 3-7 days under laboratory conditions (Porter 1998a).

 Classical biological control can be used to control red imported fire ants without

the heavy reliance on pesticides. Overall obj ective of my thesis proj ect was to evaluate

the natural enemy P. curvatus collected from red fire ants in Formosa, Argentina, for the

suppression of S. invicta populations in the United States by asking the following

questions: 1) is a biotype of P. curvatus from Formosa, Argentina, sufficiently host

specific to be released in the Hield, 2) can this biotype successfully establish on red

imported fire ants in the field, and 3) do post-released populations ofP. curvatus confirm

quarantine specificity predictions of minimal to non-existent nontarget effects?