![]() ![]() The imported fire ant will not only forage for food, such as small insects dead animals, and sweet materials such as plant secretions but will kill insects and small animals to feed. Total time from egg to adult averages 30 days,workers live up to 180 days, and queens live two to six years. Workers from multiple queen colonies are not territorial they move freely from one mound to another, which as resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of mounds per acre.Īreas infested with single queen colonies contain 40-150 mounds per acre (rarely more than 7 million ants per acre.) In areas with multiple queen colonies, there may be 200 or more mounds and up to 40 million red fire ants per acre. Workers in single queen colonies are territorial, foraging within their territory. There are two kinds of red imported fire ants: the single queen and multiple queen forms. They are known to attack people, plants, and animals they also cause damage to homes, buildings, air-conditioning units, and telephone wires. The red imported fire ant is particularly aggressive. The imported fire ants are very aggressive, and have been known to repeatedly attack animals that intrude on their nests. Head width never exceeds the abdomen width, even in the largest workers. Workers have the same body proportions from the tiniest to the largest. Worker fire ants are dark, small, highly variable in size, aggressive, and sting relentlessly. They average 1/8"-1/4" (0.025"-0.25") in length and are reddish-brown to black in color. If you have a pesticide product in mind, have your label handy and click here for information about that product.Scientific Name: Solenopsis invicta Burenįire ants resemble ordinary ants. If you choose to use a pesticide, read the label before you buy. Consult an electrician or pest management If you have infested electrical equipment, get an expert.Keep plants trimmed away from buildings.Find out if your community has a program to manage fire ants.Baits are available that can be carried into the colony by workerĪnts.Mounds can be scalded with very hot water or treated with.Knocking down a fire ant mound repeatedly can cause it to.Fire ants eat greasy or oily materials.If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-80 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at Ants For safety reasons, only a licensed pest control operator or an electrician should treat fire ants in or near these areas. Fire ants often infest electrical equipment.Baits are available which have the potential to be carried into the colony by worker ants.Always read and follow label directions for any pesticide product.Pesticides can be applied to individual ant mounds, or using a broadcast approach that involves treating a larger area.Knocking down a mound repeatedly can cause it to move away from a sensitive site, such as a garden or playground.Take steps to keep ants from having access to pet foods. Fire ants like greasy and oily foods, especially cat and dog foods.Keep plants trimmed away from buildings to keep fire ants from using the plants as a bridge to the building.Regularly empty outside trash cans near buildings and in parks to keep fire ants from finding food.Therefore, all areas where fire ant activity has been reported are under a quarantine regulated by the USDA. Now they are considered an invasive species in the southern states from Virginia to New Mexico, as well as California and Puerto Rico. You can dial 911, or reach a Poison Control Center by dialing 1-80.įire ants were introduced into the United States in the 1920's and 1930's. If this happens, get emergency medical treatment immediately. Sensitive people may also have swelling, chest pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, and sweat after being stung. When stung, people may also experience itching, followed by the appearance of a white, fluid-filled pustule. Fire ants are extremely aggressive when bothered, and they may sting repeatedly.
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