Red Imported Fire Ants
Native to central South America, red imported fire ants are established in the U.S. and Australia. Its sting is 95% alkaloid venom, which causes both the pain and white pustule that appears about a day after the sting occurs. In urban settings, they may nest under patio slabs, in lawns, under edges of sidewalks, foundations, concrete driveways, and electrical boxes. After a heavy rain, the colony may move to higher ground or inside homes to take refuge from saturated soil. They also reduce ground-nesting populations of rodents and birds.
UF/IFAS Web resources
Publications
Managing Imported Fire Ants in Urban Areas
LH059/ENY226 by eXtension Imported Fire Ants communityFebruary 20th, 2022A UF/IFAS numbered Management for Homeowner audience(s).
Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae)
IN352/EENY-195 by Laura Collins and Rudolf H. ScheffrahnOctober 22nd, 2020