Project Number: 500-44-014-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Oct 01, 2001
End Date: Sep 30, 2004

Objective:
A 5-year project to assess the impact of biological control agents in conjunction with chemical bait treatments for the purpose of demonstrating the area-wide management of imported fire ant (IFA) populations on pasture land. Typically, chemical bait treatments do not provide sustainable solution to the IFA problem because ants will re-infest previously treated areas. A combination of chemical and biological control methods may provide a sustainable solution to the IFA re-infestation problem.

Approach:
Four demonstration sites, each approx. 600 acres in size will be established in north Mississippi. A treatment area approx. 300 acres will be established at each demonstration site for chemical bait treatment leaving the peripheral area surrounding the treatment areas untreated. Two of the demonstration sites will receive only the chemical treatment; the other two demonstration sites receiving a combination of control methods, the biological control agents will be released on the periphery of the demonstration site surrounding the treatment area. Population assessments will be used to provide a threshold assessment of when the next chemical bait treatment will be required in a treatment area. Differences in chemical bait treatment frequency between demonstration sites that receive only the chemical treatment versus demonstration sites that receive both chemical and biological control treatments will be used to demonstrate the success of the area-wide project.

Project Team

Streett, Douglas Vogt, James

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003   FY 2002