Host Specificity and Risk Assessment of Releasing the Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon curvatus as a Classical Biocontrol Agent for Imported Fire Ants

Porter, Sanford D.

doi:10.1006/bcon.2000.0843

Cited by 60 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(93 reference statements)

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“…Host-specificity testing has been conducted on several Pseudacteon species in the field in South America (Porter et al, 1995;Porter, 1998b) and in quarantine facilities in the United States Porter and Alonso, 1999;Porter, 2000). The South American Pseudacteon species tested revealed no tendencies to attack ant genera other than Solenopsis, and limited tendencies (depending upon the Pseudacteon species) to attack species outside the saevissima complex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Release Host-Specificity Testing of Pseudacteon tricuspis, a Phorid Parasitoid of Solenopsis Invicta Fire Ants

Morrison

Porter

2006

Biocontrol

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Inherent in any biological control program is the risk of nontarget effects. Pseudacteon tricuspis Borgmeier, a parasitoid phorid fly, has been introduced to the United States from South America as a potential biocontrol agent of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren. We conducted tests of host specificity on introduced populations of P. tricuspis, which are attracted to alarm pheromones released by their hosts during events such as mound disturbances and interspecific interactions. We monitored disturbed mounds of S. invicta and its close congener, S. geminata (F.), during the expansion of P. tricuspis across north Florida and after populations had been established for $ 3 years. We also tested host acceptance in established populations of P. tricuspis by offering trays containing S. invicta, S. geminata, and 14 additional ant species representing 12 different non-Solenopsis genera. Although P. tricuspis was commonly observed to hover over and attempt to oviposit on S. invicta, we never observed any parasitization attempts on any other ant species. As predicted by laboratory tests, released populations of P. tricuspis appear to be highly host specific and pose no obvious threat to nontarget species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-Release Host-Specificity Testing of Pseudacteon tricuspis, a Phorid Parasitoid of Solenopsis Invicta Fire Ants

Morrison

Porter

2006

Biocontrol

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“…Over 35 natural enemies were found (Jouvenaz, 1983;Wojcik, 1990), including pathogens (Avery et al, 1977;Briano et al, 1995a,b), parasites (Jouvenaz and Wojcik, 1990;Jouvenaz et al, 1988), parasitoids (Porter and Pesquero, 2001;Porter et al, 1995a,b;Williams and Banks, 1987;Williams et al, 1973;Wojcik et al, 1987) and predators Wojcik and Naves, 1992;Wojcik et al, 1977). From them, two species of microsporidian pathogens (Briano et al, 1995a(Briano et al, ,b, 2002Oi et al, 2005;, several species of phorid flies (Calcaterra et al, 2005;Orr et al, 1995;Pesquero et al, 1995;Porter 1998Porter , 2000, a congeneric parasitic ant (Briano et al, 1997;Calcaterra et al, 1999), and a mermithid nematode (Poinar et al, 2007, Porter and Varone unpublished data) have been under study as potential control agents. More recently, other entomopathogens have been discovered (Oi and Valles, 2009), including a neogregarine (Pereira et al, 2002), a fungus (Pereira, 2004), three viruses (Valles et al, 2004;Valles and Hashimoto, 2009;, and a bacteria (Shoemaker et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distribution, abundance and persistence of species of Orasema (Hym: Eucharitidae) parasitic on fire ants in South America

Varone¹,

Heraty

Calcaterra³

2010

Biological Control

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a b s t r a c tParasitoid wasps of the genus Orasema Cameron have been considered as potential candidates for biological control of imported fire ants in the United States. Surveys were conducted for their occurrence in fire ant colonies across southern South America. In Argentina, 443 ant colonies were excavated at 57 sites and 11 positive sites were revisited to monitor the field persistence. In Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay, 288 colonies were examined in the field in 16 sites. Orasema simplex Heraty was the most abundant species, and found in 63.7% of the total parasitized colonies (n = 72). Orasema xanthopus (Cameron) and Orasema salebrosa Heraty were found at four sites in Argentina. In Bolivia, Orasema pireta Heraty was found at one site and parasitizing an unidentified Solenopsis species. Two new host species for Orasema were discovered, Solenopsis quinquecuspis Forel and Solenopsis macdonaghi Santschi. In addition, Orasema aenea Gahan was found parasitizing fire ants for the first time. The parasitoids persisted at 36.4% of the positive sites, most of them in rural habitats.Published by Elsevier Inc.

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“…In recent years, decapitating phorid flies in the genus Pseudacteon Coquillett have been studied extensively as potential biological control agents because many are common parasitoids of imported fire ants in South America Morrison et al, 1997;Porter, 1998Porter, , 2000Vazquez et al, 2004). Pseudacteon flies were first reported to be attracted to Solenopsis fire ants by Borgmeier (1921) in Brazil with further studies by Williams (1980).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…About 20 species of Pseudacteon are found in South America that attack fire ants (Porter and Pesquero, 2001). Extensive specificity tests in both South America (Folgarait et al, 2002;Porter et al, 1995) and in the United States Porter and Alonso, 1999;Porter, 2000;Porter and Gilbert, 2004;Vazquez et al, 2004;Vazquez and Porter, 2005) have demonstrated high levels of host specificity in Pseudacteon species to Solenopsis fire ants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A second species, Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), was collected from black fire ants (S. richteri) in Las Flores, Argentina (Porter, 2000). Pseudacteon curvatus is smaller than P. tricuspis and studies on oviposition behavior have shown that female P. curvatus flies attack fire ant workers that are significantly smaller than the colony mean .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Field Release and Establishment of the Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon curvatus on Red Imported Fire Ants in Florida

Vázquez

Porter

Briano³

2006

Biocontrol

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Decapitating phorid flies in the genus Pseudacteon are being studied as classical biological control agents of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae) is a small decapitating fly that attacks small fire ant workers. We released a biotype of P. curvatus from Formosa, Argentina, at three sites near Gainesville, FL. Field releases were conducted in the spring and summer of 2003 and monitored monthly. Flies were discovered within 5 weeks at the spring site and then monthly thereafter. By late spring 2004, flies released at this site had expanded 1.6 km both north and south and about 0.8 km westward. Initially, we found no flies from the two summer 2003 releases but we were successful at finding them 8 months after release during spring 2004. This paper documents the first successful release(s) of P. curvatus on red imported fire ants in the United States.

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Host Specificity and Risk Assessment of Releasing the Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon curvatus as a Classical Biocontrol Agent for Imported Fire Ants

Cited by 60 publications

References 50 publications

Post-Release Host-Specificity Testing of Pseudacteon tricuspis, a Phorid Parasitoid of Solenopsis Invicta Fire Ants

Post-Release Host-Specificity Testing of Pseudacteon tricuspis, a Phorid Parasitoid of Solenopsis Invicta Fire Ants

Distribution, abundance and persistence of species of Orasema (Hym: Eucharitidae) parasitic on fire ants in South America

Field Release and Establishment of the Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon curvatus on Red Imported Fire Ants in Florida

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