Prevalence and vectoring of the fire ant pathogen, Kneallhazia solenopsae, by fire ant decapitating phorid flies

Pathogens and parasites from South America are being evaluated for the biological control of imported fire ants in the U.S. Fire ant decapitating flies that developed in fire ants infected with the fire ant pathogen Kneallhazia (formerly Thelohania) solenopsae also acquired the pathogen. Field prevalence of K. solenopsae in the phorid fly Pseudacteon curvatus was independent of the infection rate of red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, populations at sites from which flies were collected. Transmission of K. solenopsae to S. invicta by the ingestion of infected flies has not occurred in initial laboratory studies.