Red+Imported+Fire+Ant+-+3

=Red Imported Fire Ant __ (//Solenopsis Invicta)// __=

__General Information__
Red imported fire ants live in cold, dry areas. They look just like our everyday ants, but are much smaller and are harder to visually see. Unlike other ants, Red Imported Fire Ants are dangerous when annoyed. When they are bothered, the ants aggressively emerge from their mound and sting whatever is causing the disturbance. The sting will leave a white pustule. (1)

__Detailed Description (Life Cycle / Reproduction)__
The life cycle of the RIFA starts in March up to November when the eggs are layed by the queen ant. Reproduction occurs in the early spring when the reproductive forms with wings are most abundant. The reproductive forms with wings will leave the mound after a rainfall to go on a mating trip. Soon after mating in the air, the male dies and the female or queen will find a suitable site for a colony. The female will lose her wings and eventually tunnel her way into the ground where she will start forming the colony. A recently mated queen's colony won't mature for about three years. Total time from egg to adult averages 30 days the workers of the colony usually live up to 180 days, and queens live two to six years.

__Habitat and Distribution__
Red Imported Fire Ants build mounds usually no larger than 18 inches in diameter. They mostly live in the southern part of the United States, most commonly in Texas. They build their mounds isually in fields where cattle graze, or near buildings or houses.

__Impacts__
Because of their mound building activities, Red Imported Fire Ants can damage plant roots which can lead to the loss of crops. Roots, bark, nectar, sap, fungi, fruits, and sap are all prey for the fire ant. They are such proficient pests and intruders taht tehy can actually clear an area of invertebrates, lizards, and ground-dwelling birds. They have no natural biological control agents to stop them.

__History__
The Red Imported Fire Ant was introduced in the US in the late 1930s. They traveled in soil used as ballast on cargo ships from Asia. Taiwan is seriously affected by the red imported fire ant. The people of Taiwan started a large campaing to kill the ants, however they have not been able to kill all of them. In China, a controversy arose over the government keeping the spread of the Red Imported Fire Ant a secret. This since has been laid to rest. Up to 2006, only 80 people have been reported to have been killed by the Red Imported Fire Ant.

__Control Measure__
Experiments in terminating the red imported fire ant as been underway. The most common is with extreme temperatures. Scientists inject liquid nitrogen in the mounds to terminate the ants. Sometimes boiling water poured down the mound is also very effective in terminating the nests. Farmers often pour gasoline down the mound and lighting it on fire. However, the soil acts as a heat shield, making this method totally ineffective. Traditionally, people use regular pesicides to terminate the pests. Lately, current research introduces the ant to natural enemies. The microsporidian and the thelohania solenopsai are promising pathogens. However, teh Solenopsis Daguerrei which is a parasitic ant invades the red imported fire ants' mounds and replace the queen and gains control of the colony. It is used as a biological control of the pests.

Bites The red imported fire ant has the most painful sting among most ants. A person who accidently steps on the mound causes the ants to swarm up the person's legs to all over their body. The first ant who bites releases pheromones which the other ants respond to. ANy movement that is sensed causes the ants to bite more. A day after the attack, small white pestoles appear where the bites are.



References

1. __Radcliffe's IPM World Textbook__. 12 Aug. 1996. University of Minnesota. 22 Nov. 2008 . 2. "Red Imported Fire Ant." __Invasive Species__. 17 Nov. 2008. 22 Nov. 2008 . 3.__Red imported fire ant__. 22 Nov. 2008. 22 Nov. 2008 .