Abstract
Two species of imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta and Solenopsis richter!; were introduced into the United States at Mobile, Alabama, about 35 and 56 years ago, respe ctively. S. richteri is now found in a relatively small area in northeastern Mississippi and northwestern Alabama, while S. invicta has spread and occupied a much greater area, since it is found in nine states from the Carolinas to Texas. The warm, wet weather of the South is ideal for the imported fire ants, and their colonies have flourished in the prime grazing and crop land, along roadsides, and in parks and lawns. The most extensive and rapid spread of the imported fire ants occurred during the 194 0s and 1950s. Eventually, the mound-building and stinging habits of the ants caused farmers in the infested areas (mounds sometimes numbered 125 to 150/ha) to demand relief. Thus, in late 1957, the U.S. Congress authorized a cooperative federal-state eradication or control program. Since that time, a contin uing, but at times limited, program of research has investigated the biology, zoo geography, and taxonomy of the fire ants in the United States and in their homeland in South America. Also, considerable work has been devoted to development and improvement of methods of chemical control. More recently, studies have begun on biological control. Taxonomy of the ants has become more critical with the initiation of this work since many biological control agents are species specific. Our purpose here is to review this research, although because of space limitations we cannot fully review much of the recent work concerning the chemical toxicology and persistence of mirex, the chemical currently used for control of imported fire ants.
Published Version
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