Fun Facts on Fire Ants

Fire Ants are reddish brown in color, live in mounds by the thousands and worst of all intrude and sting. Learn more facts about these fiery pests.

• Fire Ants were accidentally brought into this country on a cargo boat from South America. Since arriving in Alabama, fire ants have spread aggressively, though they remain primarily in the South and Southeast because northern soil temperatures make it tough to survive the winters.
• Fire ants live in colonies, which can contain over 200,000 ants.
• Fire ant colonies are typically comprised of female worker ants and one queen, who is responsible for laying the eggs.
• Workers create underground tunnels that can extend up to 25 feet away from the mound.
• The fire ant lifecycle has four stages. Fire ants begin as eggs, which become larvae when hatched. Next, they transition to pupae and finally grow into adult ants.
• Fire ants feed on a wide range of foods including insects, honeydew, plant nectar, seeds, fruits, and dead animals. They are highly attracted to foods high in fat.
• It can take several months for a colony to grow a mound that is large enough to be visible.