Originally from tropical South America, the red fire ant gained entry to the United States through the port of Mobile, Alabama in the late 1930's on cargo ships. It immediately began to thrive in its new location and colonies spread quickly. The first colony of the ants was found in 1942. By 1975 the red imported fire ant h

ad colonized over 52 million hectares of the United States.      The most common species of fire ants is Solenopsis invicta, (S. wagneri) which is also the most aggressive. There are four different classes of red imported fire ants that live in a colony: winged males, winged females, workers, and queens. The North American red imported fire ant is unique in that it forms colonies

with multiple queens.

Where do RED FIRE ANTS live??????

Their nests can appear as dome-shaped mounds, up to 40cm high, or can be found next to, or underneath other objects found on the ground, such as timber, logs, rocks, pavers, bricks etc. Mounds will not always be evident, but are usually found in open areas such as lawns, pastures, along roadsides and unused cropland. Mounds are rarely found in frequently cultivated areas. This species could easily be confused with the common coastal brown ant and as well as some local native ants

The various stages of development are similar to the general description of ants. All species of fire ants closely resemble the red imported fire ant. Identification of the species is difficult but can be made by a specialist.

FACTORSAre small Are coppery-brown in colour on the head and body, with a darker abdomen Come in a variety of sizes within one nest, ranging from 2mm to 6 mm. This is a distinguishing feature of fire ants Have nests with no obvious entry or exit holes on top of them Can be destinguished by their aggressive behaviour, particularly near the nest

Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren) are small ants native to South America. These small common-looking insects are dispersed to other parts of the world through commercial activities and shipments of farm produce. They were introduced to southern regions of the USA in the 1920's, Australia in 2001, and Taiwan in 2003. In late 2004, Red Imported Fire Ants were discovered in Guangdong

THE DISTRIBUTION OF RED FIRE ANTS

FROM THE RED FIRE ANTS

Fire ant damage is most significant to agriculture in losses resulting from reduced efficiency of labor and machinery and perhaps reduced land value. These ants prefer land exposed to the sun; consequently valuable farming and pasture land may be heavily infested. In urban areas, these ants invade lawns, parks, play grounds, school yards, cemeteries and golf courses. Fire ants have a severe bite and sting and will attack anything that disturbs their nest. Each ant is capable of stinging several times. The sting causes a burning or itching to occur followed by the formation of a white pustule. Scratching of the pustule may lead to secondary infection which can leave a scar. Some people who are allergic to wasp and bee stings may also be allergic to fire ant stings.

What should you do if you

discover a RIFA mound

Red Imported Fire Ant is a small ant species (3-6 mm) which is difficult to distinguish from other ants either by form or by other features. The easiest way to identify this species is to trace its mound. Red Imported Fire Ants will build an 10-45 cm high earth mound at the entrance of their nest. This habit is not seen in other ants. If you discover any dome-like ant mound on the ground, and large numbers of ants nearby, do not attempt to eliminate them.

Please report to the Plant and Pesticides Regulatory Division of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and indicate the place of discovery.

The public should avoid coming into contact with Red Imported Fire Ants. If you are stung by one, please take

the following measures : Cool the wound with ice to reduce inflammation and pain; Wash the wound with soap and water.

Do not break the blisters;

Do not scratch the wound;

Consult a doctor, if necessary;

If you are allergic to insects or you have rapid reddening of skin, rash, swellings on the face, eyes or throat, chest pain, nausea, excessive sweating, breathing difficulty and dizziness, see a doctor immediately.