Biochemical Evidence for Hybridization in Fire Ants

Hybridization in social insects has been predicted on a theoretical basis by Pearson (1983); however, it is not a commonly reported phenomenon among ants. We recently found support for this theory when we discovered unique biochemical evidence for hybridization between Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis richteri Forel, two South American fire ant species that were inadvertently introduced into the southeastern United States