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1 December 2013 Release and Establishment of the Little Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon cultellatus (Diptera: Phoridae) on Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Florida
Sanford D. Porter, Vivek Kumar, Luis A. Calcaterra, Juan A. Briano, Dakshina R. Seal
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Abstract

The little decapitating fly Pseudacteon cultellatus Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae) from Argentina was released as a self-sustaining biological control agent against the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Florida to parasitize small fire ant workers associated with multiple-queen colonies. This fly appears to be established at 2 of 5 release sites, but populations still remain very low (≤ 1% of total Pseudacteon flies) and localized more than 2 yr after their release. Further releases of P. cultellatus in the United States should be limited to a few additional sites in different habitats or climatic regions where this fly might be more successful.

Sanford D. Porter, Vivek Kumar, Luis A. Calcaterra, Juan A. Briano, and Dakshina R. Seal "Release and Establishment of the Little Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon cultellatus (Diptera: Phoridae) on Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Florida," Florida Entomologist 96(4), 1567-1573, (1 December 2013). https://doi.org/10.1653/024.096.0440
Published: 1 December 2013
KEYWORDS
biological control
Control biológico
field release
liberaciones de campo
Solenopsis invicta
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