>I read an article recently in our local newspaper about a South American fly
>that the government is considering bringing into the United States to help
>control the fire ants that have invaded the Southeast. The gnat-sized fly
>lays eggs on the ants back, which hatch out and feed on the fire ant.  With
>the honeybee a close relative of the ant, could this fly attack our
>honeybees?  The research is being conducted by Richard S. Patterson, an
>entomologist with USDA.  Does anyone have any more information on this
>research ?  We definitely need help with fire ants, but bringing in an insect
>that is not native to our country, could have disastrous effects.
>Steve Genta -- Greenville, South Carolina
 
In this particular case, we're dealing with a Phorid fly that is - to the
best of anyone's knowledge - specific to Solenopsis species. I can
appreciate the concern (other folks here know me as extremely
import-o-phobic), though in the present case I don't even think these flies
threaten other native ants, let alone bees, due to the specificity of their
life cycle and host requirements. Bear in mind, too, that where these flies
are native, there are thousands of available bee species to parasitize, as
well as other ants, and it shows no sign of having switched to any of
those. I doubt it's likely to switch to anything from North America.
        However, I seem to recall that there's a native Solenopsis species
which might be affected - if so, however, I suspect it's also something of
a pest, and doubt anyone will be particularly upset if it also gets
parasitized. That's the only thing I'm not fairly clear on here. (Though
others may disagree ;-)
Cheers,
 
Doug Yanega      Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA     phone (217) 244-6817, fax (217) 333-4949
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82