Rearing the Decapitating Fly Pseudacteon tricuspis (Diptera: Phoridae) in Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the United States

The South American phorid fly Pseudacteon tricupis Borgmeier was imported into quarantine facilities in Gainesville, FL, to study its life history and determine if it could be reared on imported fire ant workers from North America. We found that this fly developed successfully on Solenopsis invicta Buren workers from Florida and hybrid Solenopsis richteri Fire × S. invicta fire ants from Mississippi. It also was reared on S. richteri and S. invicta fire ants from Argentina. This fly, like its congener Pseudacteon litoralis Borgmeier, had the peculiar habit of decapitating its living host and using the ant’s empty head capsule as its pupal case. We were able to rear this fly through 1 complete generation in the laboratory, indicating that mass rearing for inoculative releases in the United States may be possible.