Grew up in the South? Then you’ve probably been stung by a fire ant. Maybe you accidentally stepped on a mound or learned the hard way not to stand on the grass for too long. However it happened, you walked away with a sting so itchy, you’d swear fate was testing you.
Fire ants may seem like a staple of summer in the South — right along with cookouts and fireworks — but they’re actually an invasive species. Originally from South America, red imported fire ants arrived in the U.S. almost a century ago. Since then, they’ve been taking over our backyards (and assaulting our ankles).
Of the nearly 200 known fire ant species worldwide, most thrive in warm, tropical regions like Central and South America. But in the U.S., one species remains dominant: the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). These reddish-brown workers measure between .3175 to .6351 centimeters long (1/8 to 1/4 inches) and sport dark, bulbous rears. They’re the invaders behind most Southern backyard fire ant stings.
On the Schmidt sting pain index, the fire ant sting scores a 1 out of 4. That’s relatively mild, according to entomologist Justin Schmidt, who personally tested what it feels like to be stung by venomous insects. He described the fire ant’s sting as “sharp, sudden,” and “mildly alarming.” Still, the sensation is hardly a tickle — especially if you stumble into a colony.
Native to South America, red imported fire ants were unintentionally introduced to the United in the late 1930s. They likely traveled through the port of Mobile, Alabama, in the ballast of cargo ships.
Without natural predators to keep them in check — and armed with aggressive foraging behaviors and rapid reproduction — fire ants spread fast throughout the Southern and Western U.S. Today, they infest over 367 million acres in American states and territories including:
Now and then, fire ants pop up in Kentucky, Missouri and Maryland. They’ve even made it across the pond, spotted in regions as far as Syracuse, Italy. As climates warm, expect fire ants to continue spreading throughout warmer parts of the world.
Since their arrival to the U.S., red imported fire ants have become urban pests and agricultural nightmares. They:
The estimated toll of their economic damage? Around $5 billion.
For those unfortunate enough to step on a mound, a fire ant sting can be more than a nuisance. For some, the sting can trigger life-threatening allergic reactions like anaphylactic shock. This makes it a challenging to estimate this insect’s cost to public health. In total, state agencies have spent about $250 million trying to control fire ants’ spread.
So, what’s being done? Pest managers are throwing everything they can at fire ants, including strategies like:
But here’s the catch: even when pesticides wipe out a colony, fire ants from nearby will often re-colonize the area within a month: faster than native species can recover.
The biggest breakthrough might come from biological control: using the red imported fire ant’s natural predators against them.
Currently, two biological control methods are being tested: the decapitating fly and fire ant disease.
1. Decapitating Flies
Native to South America, decapitating flies evolved alongside fire ants, developing a rather grotesque way to destroy them.
These flies chase fire ants into their colonies, preventing them from feeding. If a decapitating fly manages to catch a fire ant, it will lay its eggs inside the ant’s head. The egg develops, and the head falls off. (Gross, we know.) The adult fly then vacates the headless ant in search of a new target.
2. Fire Ant Disease
This ingenious method involves planting ant larvae infected with fire ant disease (Thelohania solenopsae) in a fire ant colony. The disease spreads from brood to workers to the queen, weakening her ability to reproduce and hampering the spread of new colonies.
Maybe you’re recovering from a nasty fire ant sting, or maybe — just maybe — you’re curious about pest management. If so, this could be your moment.
At the University of Florida, we offer online entomology graduate programs that can help you prepare you for a career tackling invasive species like the red imported fire ant. Check out our specializations in:
With flexible online coursework, you’ll learn to identify, control and mitigate pest threats: skills highly valued in pest management roles.
If you’re ready to turn your curiosity into a career, check out UF’s online entomology programs, and when you’re ready, go ahead and apply.
Sources:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1150&context=ncfwrustaff
https://www.britannica.com/animal/fire-ant
https://ant-pests.extension.org/geographic-distribution-of-fire-ants/
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/ifa
https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/fire-ants-in-florida
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