The Situation: The Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA, for short) is a major economic pest in the southeastern United States. It originates in
lowland areas of South America, primarily Brazil and Argentina
.
Where were fire ants imported from?
Red and black imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta, and S. richteri) are native to
South America
. They were accidentally introduced into the U.S. around the 1930’s through the port of Mobile, Alabama; probably in soil used for ships’ ballasts and have been spreading since.
How were red fire ants introduced?
In the 1930s,
colonies were accidentally introduced into the United States through the seaport of Mobile, Alabama
. Despite earlier views that cargo ships from Brazil docking at Mobile unloaded goods infested with the ants, recent DNA research confirmed that the likely source population for all invasive S.
Where did the red imported fire ant come from and where in the USA did it first become established?
They came from
South America in the 1930s
and were first reported entering ports in the Panhandle coming in from Brazil. It is the red imported fire ant (RIFA).
Where was the first reported occurrence of red imported fire ant?
Likely due to absence of South American competitors – and lower numbers of native competitors – S. invicta dominates more extrafloral nectaries and hemipteran honeydew sources in the southern USA than in its home range. Red imported fire ants were first discovered in
Queensland, Australia
, in 2001.
Can fire ants eat a human?
However, several different ant species have been know to
kill people
, and they were not all fire ants. … These ravenous ants can strip an animal of its flesh rapidly. Surprisingly, authorities in Africa use these ants to rid fields and homes of pests.
How deep are fire ant mounds?
Fire ant mounds can extend into the ground
20′ deep or more
, with lateral tunnels extending out over 8′ in all directions. The workers of the fire ant species generally live 4-6 weeks; queens can live up to 7 years or more. Fire ant mounds can be 2′ high.
What problems do red imported fire ants cause?
Red imported fire ants can cause many types of damage, including
agricultural problems
, structural problems in buildings and damage to electrical equipment. In the U.S. alone, each year they cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
Why are fire ants so aggressive?
Fire ants are an aggressive subset of ant species characterized by strong mandibles and
extremely poisonous stings
. Fire ants rush to the surface to protect their nests whenever they sense a disturbance due to their aggressive nature.
Why are fire ants bad for the environment?
The Imported Fire Ant threatens America’s farms/crop plants.
A single fire ant can sting its target repeatedly. Young and newborn animals are especially susceptible to the stings’ venom. These pests can damage the environment by
displacing native ant species
and reducing food sources for wildlife.
What animals eat fire ants?
Predators.
Armadillos, antlions, spiders, birds, and horned lizards
have been known to eat fire ants when given the opportunity, but are not known to have a major impact on imported fire ant populations.
Why is it called imported fire ants?
Imported fire ants are ant species in the genus Solenopsis that can cause serious medical, economic and ecologic problems. They are called imported fire ants
because they are not native to the United States
. They were accidentally introduced from South America.
Are red fire ants an invasive species?
Fire ants get their name from their especially painful sting or bite. The red imported fire ant (RIFA) is an
invasive species from Brazil
and is known to be more aggressive than other species of ants. … They may be more prone to attack and will sting with more venom than usual.
What does the red imported fire ant eat?
Fire ants are omnivorous. Known to eat meats, greasy and sweet materials. Fire ants are omnivores, meaning they will feed on animal or vegetable sources of food. The fire ant worker’s diet includes
insects, earthworms, ticks, spiders, arthropod eggs, honeydew and other sweets
.
What is the lifespan of red ants?
Queens, males and workers
Fire ant queens may live up to seven years and can produce up to 1,600 eggs per day, and colonies will have as many as 250,000 workers. The estimated potential life span is
around 5 years and 10 months to 6 years and 9 months
.
How can you tell red imported fire ants?
- Workers are polymorphic (different sizes), small, 1/16- to 1/5-inch long.
- Body reddish with shiny dark brown gaster with stinger.
- Large eyes and 3 teeth on front of head.
- Petiole with 2 nodes; no spines on thorax.
- 10-segmented antennae with 2-segmented club.
- Extremely aggressive.
