Fire Ants

The red fire ant is known for its painful sting and venom. It has replaced many native ants in areas it infests. Red fire ant colonies consist of the brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae) and several castes of adults. Adults include winged males with smaller heads and darker bodies than females, red to brown winged females, one or more queens, and workers. Worker ants are wingless, sterile females, and vary in size. Older workers forage or defend the nest while younger workers care for the brood. A newly mated queen lays a cluster of a dozen or more eggs. When the eggs hatch six to ten days later, the queen feeds the larvae infertile eggs. An older queen can lay 200 eggs each day. Older larvae receive food gathered by worker ants. Larvae develop in six to ten days, and pupate. Adults emerge nine to fifteen days later.

The average colony contains 100,000 to 500,000 workers, several hundred winged forms, and one or more queens. Queen ants live for five or more years.

For control products and more information please see our Ant Control page.