Fire Ants

Fire Ant,  Solenopsis wagneri

One of the most well-known of the invasive species in the southern United States and recently Queensland, Australia, the imported fire ant is an accidental introduction from South America. From causing issues with electrical equipment to home invasion to impact on wildlife and ranching, they are more than just a mere nuisance, but a true pest. They are enough of a concern to have multitude of hours dedicated to management and control of fire ants. Warm and wet weather bring these ants above ground, swarming after a rain and scavenging in the sun. They are well adapted to live in a variety of soils, in a variety of places from the middle of a forest to the sidewalk out front. Phorid flies are the current hope of wide-spread control, a monitored introduction of what is a natural parasitoid of the fire ants in their home range of Brazil.