Page 26 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

IMPORTED FIRE ANT IMPORTED FIRE ANT MOUND

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
1.Antenna- 10 segmented 6.Thorax- uneven with valley IMPORTED FIRE ANT
2.Eyes- 2 compound 7.Petiole- 2 nodes
3.Head- mouthpart with teeth 8.Abdomen- darker than body 1 6
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- reddish to brown 7 8
5.Wings- on alates 10.Other- stinger present

Life Cycle
Eggs develop in 7-10 days, larvae in 6-12 days, and pupa in 9-16 days. 3
The egg to adult life cycle ranges from 22-38 days, a very quickly
developing ant! Minor workers live from one to two months, while major
workers can live up to six months. 4
Drawing by Andrew Schaible
IMPORTED FIRE ANT
Actual size 1/4”
The Red Imported Fire Ants are quite a problem in some areas. The workers are usually the most
noticed, and are 1/4th inch in size. They can be colored from reddish to mostly black. They live in-
side large mounds in fields, woodlands, and open space areas. Fire ants will eat insects, seeds, fruits,
meats, vegetables, flowers, and honeydew—just about anything organic can become their food.
The colony has a prominent queen who mates and lays eggs. She alone tends the eggs and larvae of
the first generation, and then the first generation females will take over the care of later eggs, larvae,
and even the queen. Worker females build the nest, excavating large amounts of dirt which forms the
mound. Occasionally a nest will be built in a rotting log or under a rock. Fire Ants can do major dam-
age to new crops, and also are quite capable of inflicting painful stings and bites. They are very hostile
to other ants.

1.Antenna- 11 segmented w/3 segmented club 6.Thorax- one pair of spines LITTLE FIRE ANT
2.Eyes- 2 compound 7.Petiole- two segments
3.Head- sculptured 8.Abdomen 1 6 7
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- light to golden brown 8
5.Wings- none 10.Other- stinger present

3
Life Cycle
A colony only has a few wingless queens. Eggs develop into pupae 4
and larvae, and each colony will contain numerous workers. In rainy
periods, these ants will seek to move the colony indoors.
Drawing by Andrew Schaible
LITTLE FIRE ANT Actual size 1/16”
This tiny fire ant can really pack a punch—in fact, each ant will often sting 3-4 times before the victim
can remove it. The pain may last for days, and severe itching may accompany the stings. These ants
frequently invade homes, looking for oils, fats, meat, and peanut butter. Outdoors they will sometimes
be found tending aphids, seeking the honeydew.
Little Fire Ants do not build normal nests—they often are found scattered under bricks, stones, wood,
and leaves. A single colony may span several locations in nearby areas. They are found in most
central and southern Florida counties.

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