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Don’t mess with fire ants.
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When talking about fire ants, many of us mistakenly believe there is a single species of these tiny but fearsome creatures. In fact, there are more than 20 species of them around the world, particularly in warm, sunny regions. And wherever you find fire ants of whatever species, you’ll also find tales of harrowing encounters with them. Here are five fire ant facts to focus your attention:
1. Painful Stings
Fire ants are notorious for their painful stings, which can cause a burning sensation and intense itching. Such stings are not only painful, but they can lead to serious problems. The venom can cause allergic reactions in some people, leading to swelling, difficulty breathing, and even anaphylactic shock. Severe incidents may result in long-term medical issues or even death.
Stream this MagellanTV documentary to tind out more about these fearsome little creatures.
2. Aggressive Behavior
Fire ants are extremely aggressive and will attack anything that disturbs their nests. When a nest is disrupted, worker ants swarm out to defend it, stinging the attacker as many times as necessary to neutralize the threat to their home. When walking in areas where fire ants are common, it is wise to be aware of what’s under your feet. Stepping on a fire ant nest is pretty much guaranteed to ruin your day.
3. Large Colonies
Fire ant colonies can be quite large, consisting of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of ants living in interconnected nests within systems of mounds. Each colony typically has a single queen, but some species have multiple queens, and thus their colonies are able to grow even larger. In areas with multiple queens, there may be hundreds of mounds housing millions of fire ants. Considering the aforementioned consequences of disturbing nests, it would behoove you to avoid such areas when out walking your dog.
4. Omnivorous Diet
Like that dog patrolling the periphery of your annual Thanksgiving dinner table, fire ants have a varied diet and will eat almost anything, including other insects, small animals, plants, and food scraps. This makes them highly adaptable and capable of thriving in diverse environments, including some where they might land after hitching a ride on a merchant ship traveling from one part of the world to another.
Solenopsis invicta arrived in the southeastern U.S. from South America in the 1930s. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Environmental Impact
Invasive species can wreak havoc when they arrive in new areas, and fire ants are no exception. They can disrupt local ecosystems by preying on native species, outcompeting other ants, damaging farm crops, and even interfering with irrigation and electrical equipment. Their presence can have significant economic and ecological consequences, costing businesses millions of dollars and ruining some areas for humans and wildlife alike.
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Title Image credit: Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia, via Wikimedia Commons
