Project Number: 0500-00044-017-08
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jul 13, 2006
End Date: Mar 31, 2009

Objective:
1. Maintain low fire ant populations with reduced need for bait toxicants by using available self-sustaining fire ant biological control agents in conjunction with bait toxicants.

Approach:
1. Locate and define suitable fire ant infested areas in Texas; 2. Assess and monitor the economic and environmental impact associated with fire ants and the benefits of fire ant control in the selected environments of the area-wide program; 3. Eliminate fire ant populations in the selected sites using commercially available baits to obtain at least 90% control; 4. Inoculate treatment periphery with the microspordian pathogen, Thelohania Solenopsae, and monitor the success; 5. Inoculate the treatment peripery with phorid fly parasites, Pseudacteon spp., and monitor the success; 6. Develop S. invicta bait toxicant techniques that are more species-specific and/or less labor intensive; 7. Develop phorid fly detection trap system using fire ant semiochemicals; 8. Develop website, video demonstrations, and other educational/technology transfer activities to disseminate the results of the research effort and provide an open forum for collaborators, customers, partners and others interested in area-wide management of fire ants; and 9. Establish 3 small demonstrated sites in "high value" properties within areas with fire ant biocontrol agents, monitor fire ant populations using food-lure bait methodology at 6-8 week intervals, make formicide application when necessary, and provide a semi-annual written report to USDA project coordinating team.