Some of the most interesting fire ant biological controls are the decapitating flies (also known as phorid flies), which cause the fire ant's head to fall off. Predatory animals such as birds, lizards, armadillo and insects feed on fire ants. Several biocontrol agents have been or are being tested for effectiveness against fire ants. These include fungi, viruses, nematodes and insects. Most of these agents have been brought from South America, where they are natural enemies of fire ants. After several years of testing for safety and efficacy, some of these biological controls have been approved for release here by the USDA. The idea is to get populations of these agents established naturally, in hopes that they will permanently suppress fire ant populations below their current levels. It is likely that it will take a combination of biological control agents to help us control fire ant populations and it will probably be several years before we start seeing impacts. For more information, see FAQ #855: "What can we expect from the decapitating (phorid) flies?"

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