Fire Ant Facts
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Prefer sunny areas and build mounds in open areas and prefer tree bases, landscape and tree curbs, under sidewalks and along street curbs
Prefer sunny areas and build mounds in open areas and prefer tree bases, landscape and tree curbs, under sidewalks and along street curbs~They like warm (but not hot) weather and require moisture to survive. For this reason they forage mostly during warmer, wetter periods. When hot and dry they burrow deep to find moisture and cooler temps. They also burrow deep in cold temps to insulate the nest.
They like warm (but not hot) weather and require moisture to survive. For this reason they forage mostly during warmer, wetter periods. When hot and dry they burrow deep to find moisture and cooler temps. They also burrow deep in cold temps to insulate the nest.~They eat oily, greasy food, sugary foods, dog and cat food, insects and spiders, earthworms, dung and seeds.
They eat oily, greasy food, sugary foods, dog and cat food, insects and spiders, earthworms, dung and seeds.~Specific foraging adults leave the mound thru underground tunnels. When food is found, foragers return to the nest leaving pheromone trails that other foragers follow to collect the food.
Specific foraging adults leave the mound thru underground tunnels. When food is found, foragers return to the nest leaving pheromone trails that other foragers follow to collect the food.~Workers feed the queen with food in a liquid form. The queen will only eat food consumed by workers that is regurgitated forest.
Workers feed the queen with food in a liquid form. The queen will only eat food consumed by workers that is regurgitated forest.Why are fire ants hard to control?
~Populate a large area of the country (heavy reserve populations)
Populate a large area of the country (heavy reserve populations)~Large mound densities, Large nests - can reach up to 600,000
Large mound densities, Large nests - can reach up to 600,000~High reproductive rates - egg to adult in 20-45 days
High reproductive rates - egg to adult in 20-45 daysHow do fire ants move?
~Winged queens and winged males mate during swarming periods usually in spring and late summer. They mate in the air and the mated queens fall directly to the ground or are wind blown to other areas. It can take a mated queen 3-8 months to reproduce enough fore ants to build a visible mound.
Winged queens and winged males mate during swarming periods usually in spring and late summer. They mate in the air and the mated queens fall directly to the ground or are wind blown to other areas. It can take a mated queen 3-8 months to reproduce enough fore ants to build a visible mound.~They can also move their entire colony for any reason in a matter of hours
They can also move their entire colony for any reason in a matter of hours~Colonies can float in flood waters.
Colonies can float in flood waters.