Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Fire Ant bio-control

I made an interesting observation in my back yard yesterday.
I treated my lawn with Extinguish Plus (a bait for fire-ants) and then bent down on hands and knees to watch the foraging workers collect the bait - while eagerly awaiting their doom.
While watching them at such close range, I noticed a very small fly "dive bombing" the foraging fire-ants - and the ants became highly agitated each time the fly "tagged them". It was quite comical, since I hate fire-ants.
After watching this process occur several times, I finally realized that the fly was doing more than simply molesting the ants - which prompted me to do a Google-search. Low and behold, we now have a fire-ant parasitic fly.
Hallelujah!! Send more!!!

New phorid fly species turns red imported fire ants into 'zombies'

Hey put some in a box and send them up this way...

O.K. Kelly, inquiring minds want to know. Was that one that you saw P. tricuspis or P. curvatis?

Kelly, i saw a show on TV about these flys. They really are cool - they seem to zap the ant right in the neck.

Mixing fire ants from two or more mounds is another form of bio-control that will often work. When I notice a few mounds in the yard, I'll use a shovel to transport portions of each mound to other mounds. Sometimes, mixing 3 or more mounds together. Within 2 or 3 days, the ants are all dead. Occasionally, a colony might have enough survivors to begin rebuilding the mound, and I'll have to seek out more enemy troops from another mound outside of the yard's perimeter. In these cases, I have to run with the shovel full of ants, in order to reach the target area before the ants can crawl up the shovel's handle.

I learned of this method from an old farmer, who would drag his fields in order to mix-up fire ant mounds. His drag consisted of chain link fencing material, weighted with old automobile tires.

That old farmer didn't need a PhD to make it work.

I've done little or no fire ant control over the last few years and have noticed a considerable decrease in their mounds in the last year or so, actually, greater than a 50% decrease.

Dudley - This imported parasitic fly may be responsible for the RIFA decline at your place,
since nothing else besides winter temperatures seems to limit their spread.

Based on the originally linked article, I'd say neither - since the fly that I observed was parasitizing a foraging worker....
"Previously released phorid flies only preyed on ants in disturbed mounds. In contrast, the species, Pseudacteon obtusus,
that Ludwig released in April is attracted to foraging red imported fire ants and not disturbed mounts."

One of the greatest pastimes at our property is riding around on a golf cart with my five year old son driving over fire ant mounds.

We do it with regularity and I have noticed a real reduction in the number of mounds and the size of the mounds.

LUDWIG FOR PRESIDENT!

I second that nomination !

I sent an email to Dr. Ludwig to report my fly observation - and copied it to B Higginbotham, also at Agrilife Ext in Overton.
Unfortunately, Dr. Higginbotham replied today that Dr. Ludwig has "moved on" since that article was published. So, I guess he'll have to forfeit your nomination Dudley.

I hear that "Crazy Ants" will bring an end to Fire Ants, just their spread is terrifically slow, and annoying.

Kelly, it looks like our engine done squealed and conked out before we got to the runway.

As in past away or just actually moved on?

Moving to a different employer was the implication that I detected.

Me for president!?!

You might be the man, Ludwig. Critical question though. Are you capable of borrowing and spending a trillion dollars in one week? If not, the job we have in mind is simply not for you.

Actually, if you own a billion ponds, the spending should be easy. The other word could present a problem for you.

Profs publish or perish. Very dog eat dog at many universities.

FYI: A very cool documentary on the Phorid fly program (for fire ant control) now showing on the NAT GEO channel.