CHAPTER 3
 FIELD RELEASE AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DECAPITATING FLY
 Pseudacteon curvatus ON RED IMPORTED FIRE ANTS IN FLORIDA2

 Introduction


 Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis richteri Forel are two invasive species that

have been able to thrive without their natural enemies. Both species of Gire ants were

accidentally introduced into the United States through Mobile, Alabama in 1918 (S.

richteri) and in the 1930's (S. invicta), leaving behind most of their natural enemies in

South America (Jouvenaz 1990). It is speculated that the absence of natural enemies is

the reason fire ant densities are 5-10 times higher in the United States than they are in

South America (Porter et al. 1992, Porter et al. 1997).

 Since introduction, S. invicta has spread throughout the entire southeastern United

States (Callcott and Collins 1996) while S. richteri along with a hybrid species (S.

richteri x S. invicta) have been found in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee

(Shoemaker et al. 1994). Solenopsis invicta causes several billion US dollars in damages

annually to agricultural crops, electrical equipment, livestock, and human health risks in

the United States (Drees et al. 2002). Chemical baits have been used as a means to

control imported fire ants in high traffic areas such as playgrounds and residential lawns

(Drees et al. 2002). Unfortunately, chemical treatments tend are costly and generally need

to be used several times a year for adequate levels of control (Collins et al. 1992). A



2 In Press, BioControl 2004