ESTABLISH PHORID FLIES FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF FIRE ANTS IN OKLAHOMA

Recipient Organization
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
STILLWATER,OK 74078

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

50%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

50%

Applied

50%

Developmental

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
216	3110	1130	50%
216	6099	1130	50%

Knowledge Area
216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other; 3110 - Insects;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;

Keywords

Goals / Objectives
The objective fo this cooperative research project is to establish Pseudacteon curvatus flies (fam. Phoridae) as biological control agents against imported fire ants near the limits of the Federal quarantine line in Oklahoma and assess their impact.

Project Methods
Host ants will be collected by ARS in southern Oklahoma and transported to the phorid fly rearing facility in Starkville, MS. A minimum of 6 large colonies will be collected. Location of each mound will be recorded using GPS system. Worker ants will be separated from soil using standard flotation techniques. Ants will be held in laboratory, and each week a cohort of ants will be removed from each colony and placed in laboratory attack box for exposure to ovipositing phorid flies. After 7 d of exposure to phorids, the parasitized ants will be shipped to the Durant,OK Cooperative Extension Service, and OSU personnel will immediately transport ants to the release site and release them into their respective mounds. If temperatures are hot and dry, approx. 1-2 gal of cool water will be applied to each mound prior to release of the parasitized ants. Four consectutive releases will be conducted. Monitoring for establishment and spread of the flies will commence in Spring 2004. OSU and ARS personnel will coordinate efforts to detect and map establishment for a period of at least 2 years.

Progress 12/01/03 to 11/30/06

Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement between ARS and The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University. Additional details of the research can be found in the inhouse project 6402-22320-003-00D, Regional Integrated Management of Imported Fire Ant. Phorid flies were released in southern Oklahoma for biological control of imported fire ants in late Fall 2003. To date, field-reared flies have been recovered at the release site and up to 6 miles away, an increase of several miles over last year. Data indicate successful establishment and overwintering. This accomplishment will help provide long-term sustainable reduction in fire ant populations. This is a final report.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement between ARS and The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University. Additional details of the research can be found in the parent research project 6402-22320-003-00D entitled, Regional Management of Imported Fire Ant. Phorid flies were released in southern Oklahoma for biological control of imported fire ants in late Fall 2003. To date, field-reared flies have been recovered at the release site and up to 1 mile away, indicating successful establishment and overwintering. Additional releases have been postponed due to movement of the phorid fly rearing facility from Starkville, MS to Stoneville, MS but are planned for fall 2005 or spring 2006. This accomplishment will help provide long-term sustainable reduction in fire ant populations.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. This report serves to document research conducted under a Non-funded Cooperative Agreement (58-6402-4-0007N) between ARS and The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University. Additional details of the research can be found in the parent CRIS 6402-22320-001- 00D, "Biological Management of the Red Imported Fire Ant." Phorid flies were released in southern Oklahoma for biological control of imported fire ants in late Fall 2003. To date, no field-reared flies have been recovered at the release site. Additional releases are planned for Fall 2004.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications