Red Imported Fire Ant
Solenopsis invicta
The adult worker is a small reddish-brown ant found in soil mounds, lawns, pastures, disturbed ground, and warm open habitats. It forages for insects, seeds, oils, and sugary liquids, and it can subdue prey with mandibles before delivering repeated venomous stings. Adults are fast-moving ground insects that maintain extensive underground tunnels and aggressively defend nest entrances. A notable fact is that their venom contains alkaloids that cause the familiar burning pain of a fire ant sting.
- Type
- Venom / Burrow
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Red Imported Fire Ant
- Red Imported Fire Ant Queen
- Red Imported Fire Ant Male Alate