Red imported fire ant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red imported fire ant |
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| A group of fire ant workers | |
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| Genus: |
Solenopsis (ant)
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| Species: |
invicta
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The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), also known as the fire ant or RIFA, is a species of ant native to South America. A member of the genus Solenopsis in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was described by Swiss entomologist Felix Santschi as a variant of S. saevissima in 1916. Its current specific name invicta was given to the ant in 1972 as a separate species. However, the variant and species were the same ant, and the name was preserved due to its wide use.
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Etymology and common names
The specific epithet of the red imported fire ant, invicta, derives from Latin, and means "invincible" or "unconquered". The epithet originates from the phrase Roma invicta ("unconquered Rome"), used as an inspirational quote until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. The generic name, Solenopsis, translates as "appearance" or "face" from Ancient Greek. It is a compound of two Ancient Greek words–solen, meaning "pipe" or "channel", and opsis, meaning "appearance" or "sight". The ant is commonly known as the "red imported fire ant" (abbreviated as RIFA). The "fire ant" part is because of the burning sensation caused by its sting. Alternative names include: the "fire ant", "red ant" or "tramp ant". In Brazil, locals call the ant toicinhera, which derives from the Portuguese word toicinho (pork fat).
Description
The ant's colours are red and somewhat yellowish with a brown or black gaster, but males are completely black.
Polymorphism
The red imported fire ant is polymorphic, as workers appear in different shapes and sizes.
Habitat
Red imported fire ants are dominant in altered areas and live in a wide variety of habitats. They can be found in rainforests, disturbed areas, deserts, grasslands, alongside roads and buildings, and in electrical equipment. Colonies form large mounds constructed from soil with no visible entrances because foraging tunnels are built and workers emerge far away from the nest.
Though South American in origin, the red imported fire ant has been accidentally introduced in Australia, New Zealand, several Asian and Caribbean countries, Europe and the United States.
Behaviour
These ants exhibit a wide variety of behaviours, such as building rafts when they sense that water levels are rising. They also show necrophoric behaviour, where nestmates discard scraps or dead ants on refuse piles outside the nest.
Mating
Nuptial flight occurs during the warm seasons, and the alates may mate for as long as 30 minutes.
Communication
Workers communicate by a series of semiochemicals and pheromones, which are used for recruitment, foraging, and defence.
Social structure
Colony founding can be done by a single queen or a group of queens, which later contest for dominance once the first workers emerge. Workers can live for several months, while queens can live for years; colony numbers can vary from 100,000 to 250,000 individuals. Two forms of society in the red imported fire ant exist: polygynous colonies (nests with multiple queens) and monogynous colonies (nests with one queen).
Diet
Foraging takes place on warm or hot days, although they may remain outside at night. They are omnivores and eat dead mammals, arthropods, insects, seeds, and sweet substances such as honeydew from hemipteran insects with which they have developed relationships.
Predators
Predators include arachnids, birds, and many insects including other ants, dragonflies, earwigs, and beetles.
Parasites
The ant is a host to parasites and to a number of pathogens, nematodes, and viruses, which have been viewed as potential biological control agents.
Relationship with humans
Venom
Venom plays an important role in the ant's life, as it is used to capture prey or for defence. About 95% of the venom consists of water-insoluble piperidine alkaloids known as solenopsins, with the rest comprising a mixture of toxic proteins that can be particularly potent in sensitive humans; the name fire ant is derived from the burning sensation caused by their bite. More than 14 million people are stung by them in the United States annually, where many are expected to develop allergies to the venom. Most victims experience intense burning and swelling, followed by the formation of sterile pustules, which may remain for several days. However 0.6% to 6.0% of people may suffer from anaphylaxis, which can be fatal if left untreated. Common symptoms include dizziness, chest pain, nausea, severe sweating, low blood pressure, loss of breath, and slurred speech. More than 80 deaths have been recorded from red imported fire ant attacks. Treatment depends on the symptoms; those who only experience pain and pustule formation require no medical attention, but those who suffer from anaphylaxis are given epinephrines. Whole body extract immunotherapy is used to treat victims and is regarded as highly effective.
As pest
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The ant is viewed as a notorious pest, causing billions of dollars in damage annually and impacting wildlife. The ants thrive in urban areas, so their presence may deter outdoor activities. Nests can be built under structures such as pavements and foundations, which may cause structural problems, or cause them to collapse. Not only can they damage or destroy structures, but red imported fire ants also can damage equipment and infrastructure and impact business, land, and property values. In agriculture, they can damage crops and machinery, and threaten pastures. They are known to invade a wide variety of crops, and mounds built on farmland may prevent harvesting.
They also pose a threat to animals and livestock, capable of inflicting serious injury or killing them, especially young, weak, or sick animals. Despite this, they may be beneficial because they consume common pest insects on crops. Common methods of controlling these ants include baiting and fumigation; other methods may be ineffective or dangerous. Due to its notoriety and importance, the ant has become one of the most studied insects on the planet, even rivalling the western honey bee (Apis mellifera).
Images for kids
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Paratype specimen of S. invicta collected from Brazil
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Casent label of S. invicta paratype worker
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Whole body image of a worker
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Electron micrograph of a hatching fire ant egg
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Photomicrograph of sting apparatus components
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Water loss rates of workers and female alates in S. invicta and S. richteri
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A floating "raft" of red imported fire ants (RIFA) in North Carolina is seen over land that normally forms the bank of a pond. The land had become submerged due to excessive rain and resultant flooding which inundated the nest. The raft is anchored to some blades of grass extending above the water's surface.
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Worker foraging on a common sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
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L. mactans feeding on a captured insect: Red imported fire ants constitute 75% of all prey items captured by this spider.
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Newly hatched phorid fly emerging from a host's head
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Male alate
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Lifecycle of the red imported fire ant, including several larval instars
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Pupa of a queen
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Predation of the Stock Island tree snail by red imported fire ants is believed to be a major cause of its extinction in the wild
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The red imported fire ant and Phenacoccus solenopsis have formed a symbiotic relationship with each other
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Mounds found on farmland
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Bait used against the ant
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Exposed red imported fire ant mound
See also
In Spanish: Hormiga roja de fuego para niños
