Services > Pest Management > Ants > Red Imported Fire Ant



Latin Name:
Solenopsis invecta

Appearance:
Reddish, about 1/16- to 1/4-inch long.

Habit:
Nest in mounds of 1 to 2 feet in diameter and about 1/2-foot high. Large colonies can have up to 250,000 workers. Very active and aggressive, they will sting any intruding animal repeatedly.

Diet:
Omnivorous. Known to eat meats, greasy and sweet materials.

Reproduction:
Total time from egg to adult averages 30 days; workers live up to 180 days; queens live two to six years.

Other:
Have been known to remove rubber insulation from telephone wires; sting is painful and can kill young wildlife. Fire ant attacks have also been responsible for several patient deaths in long-term healthcare facilities in recent years.