Solenopsis invicta Buren, is one of the most notorious ants in the world due to its powerful sting. Originally from South America, S. invicta arrived in North America by ship sometime before 1945 and has spread across the U.S. from Texas to North Carolina in the southeast and California in the west, particularly in open disturbed areas, causing ecological and economic damage.
Fire ants are typically more aggressive than native ant species, and swarm when disturbed. Although human death due to fire ant stings is extremely rare, swarming fire ants do kill small mammals and birds, particularly ground-nesting species, and can totally eliminate some species of birds from an area.
Queen ants can live for seven years and lay a large number of eggs. The average size of a mature colony is 200,000-300,000 workers. New queens can disperse 1 km or more and start new colonies. Researchers estimate that 4,500 new queens are produced each year. New reproductive are produced just 15 to 18 weeks after a new colony is established. Ecological studies of S. invicta have determined that colony sizes and densities in introduced areas are far larger than those in their native range.
Fire ants favor disturbed habitats, such as agricultural fields, suburban developments, or other environments characterized by ecological alteration, where native species are under stress. Because of their aggression and lack of controlling predators, pathogens, or competitors, fire ants have devastated native ant communities in the southeastern United States.
Fire ants
