Fire Ants

Identification

• Fire Ant workers vary considerably in size
• Fire Ants cause painful stings when bitten
• Fire Ants build large raised mounds

Environment

• Fire Ants prefers to nest in open, disturbed areas
• Fire Ants are commonly nest in yards, fields, and roadsides

Threats

• Fire Ants devastate local insect populations and small wildlife when it invades an area
• Many ground nesting bird species have been eliminated by fire ants when they attack newly hatched nestlings
• Humans likewise are victims of fire ants’ vicious sting

Treatment

• Granular baits are among the best treatments available for fire ants
• The bait is distributed throughout the colony, eventually resulting in the death of the fire ant queen