Some of the most interesting fire ant biological controls are the decapitating flies (also known as Pseudacteon phorid flies), which cause the fire ant's head to fall off. Several other biocontrol agents have been or are being tested for effectiveness against fire ants. These include fungi, viruses, nematodes, and other insects.
Most of these agents have been brought from South America, the native home of the fire ant. After several years of testing for safety and efficacy, some of these biological controls have been approved for release in the United States by the USDA.
The goal 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. It will probably be several years before we start seeing impacts.
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Find more information about fire ants in eXtension's Imported Fire Ant Resource Area.
