@article {33434,
	title = {Field releases of the decapitating fly Pseudacteon curvatus (Diptera: Phoridae) for control of imported fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee},
	journal = {Florida Entomologist},
	volume = {86},
	year = {2003},
	note = {Part of FORMIS 04; from NAL{\textquoteright}S AGRICOLA; from Fire Ant Literature Database; from-DPW, verified-DPW; USDA-CMAVE M-3888.},
	pages = {334-339},
	abstract = {The little decapitating fly, Pseudacteon curvatus Borgmeier, was released at 11 sites in Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee as a potential self-sustaining biocontrol agent of imported fire ants. We used a biotype from Buenos Aires Province, Argentina that parasitizes black fire ants (Solenopsis richteri Forel). Generally, several thousand flies were released as larvae in parasitized ant workers over a 1-2 week period. Pseudacteon curvatus flies were successfully established on hybrid fire ants (Solenopsis invicta x Solenopsis richteri) at a site near Talladega, Alabama where they have persisted more than two years and expanded out 5-20 km from the original release site. Flies failed to establish in Florida and Tennessee although a few 1st-generation field-reared flies were recovered at four sites in Florida. This fly is only the second parasitoid species to be successfully released against imported fire ants or any other pest ant species. Possible reasons for failures at the other sites include insufficient vegetation cover, competition with another Pseudacteon species in Florida, severe winter kill of ants at a site in Tennessee, and the possibility that the biotype of P. curvatus released was not a viable parasitoid of red imported fire ants.},
	author = {Graham, L.C. and Porter, S.D. and Pereira, R.M. and Dorough, H.D. and Kelley, A.T.}
}
@article {33435,
	title = {Eradication of the little fire ant; Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), from Marchena Island, Gal{\'a}pagos: on the edge of success?},
	journal = {Florida Entomologist},
	volume = {88},
	year = {2005},
	note = {Part of FORMIS 07; from NAL{\textquoteright}s AGRICOLA; from-DPW, verified-DPW.},
	month = {June},
	pages = {159-168},
	abstract = {The development of effective techniques to eradicate populations of invasive ant species is crucial to the conservation of native biodiversity. An intensive program was initiated in 2001 to eradicate the invasive little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Roger) from ~21 ha on Marchena Island in the Gal{\'a}pagos Archipelago. Linear transects, approximately 10 m apart, were cut through the vegetation of the infested area and a buffer zone of 6 ha. Amdro{\textregistered} (Hydramethylnon) was applied manually up to three times in the treatment area at three-month intervals between March and October 2001. To date, five follow-up monitoring surveys have placed sticks painted with peanut butter in a grid 3-4 m apart. Two small populations (0.1\% of the area originally occupied by W. auropunctata) were detected in April and October 2002 and were subsequently treated with Amdro{\textregistered}. No W. auropunctata ants were found in May 2003 and April 2004. Five nocturnal surveys carried out in the immediate area of introduction of W. auropunctata did not detect any individuals. Monitoring surveys will continue for an additional two years to ensure eradication of any remaining populations and verify the success of this program. This paper discusses the procedures used to kill W. auropunctata and monitor the efficacy of the eradication methods, the program{\textquoteright}s costs, and its applicability to other island ecosystems.},
	author = {Causton, C.E. and Sevilla, C.R. and Porter, S.D.}
}
@article {3742,
	title = {Body size, colony size, abundance, and ecological impact of exotic ants in Florida{\textquoteright}s upland ecosystems},
	journal = {Evolutionary Ecology Research},
	volume = {9},
	year = {2007},
	note = {Part of FORMIS 07; from NAL{\textquoteright}s AGRICOLA; from Fire Ant Literature Database; from-DPW, },
	month = {July},
	pages = {757-774},
	abstract = {With hundreds of species established in new localities around the world, ants are an important, widely distributed, and growing group of exotic animals. The success of many established exotic ants is hypothesized to be related to competitive advantages associated with smaller workers and larger colonies relative to co-occurring native species. To evaluate this hypothesis, ant assemblages were thoroughly sampled across the range of upland ecosystems in north-central Florida, a region with one of the most diverse exotic ant faunae in the world. Patterns of species richness, abundance, worker body size, and colony size were compared among species and ecosystems. We found that exotic ants were neither abundant nor diverse in any of the undisturbed upland ecosystems. In disturbed field sites, exotic ants accounted for about 40\% of total ant abundance and 25\% of species richness. A total of 94 species, including 13 exotic species and 9 endemic species, were captured. The average body size of exotic ants was not obviously different from related native species. The average colony size of exotic ants was smaller than native species, with the exception of Solenopsis invicta which had the largest colony size of all species. Introduced ants (including S. invicta) were neither speciose nor abundant in any of the native woodland ecosystems. Florida{\textquoteright}s intact, native upland ecosystems appear to be resistant to invasion of exotic ant species despite the fact that surrounding disturbed habitats host a large diversity and abundance of introduced species. The prediction that exotic species have smaller workers than related native species was not supported.},
	author = {King, J.R. and Porter, S.D.}
}
