# Red Imported Fire Ant (*Solenopsis invicta*) Red Imported Fire Ants are small, reddish-brown ants that live in big colonies. They are known for their painful sting and are often found in warm places like gardens and fields. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Fire Ant, Imported Fire Ant ![Red Imported Fire Ant](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426190/objects/1912.jpg) ## Appearance The Red Imported Fire Ant has a reddish-brown body with a darker, sometimes shiny, abdomen. Its body segments vary in size, from small to medium workers, and it lacks obvious hairs. Look for its distinctive two-segmented 'waist' (petiole) that sets it apart. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Formicidae - **Genus:** Solenopsis ## Interesting facts - A single fire ant colony can spread over an area the size of a tennis court! - Fire ants are super strong, lifting objects up to 50 times their own weight! - Some fire ant colonies can have many queens, helping them grow super huge! - Their nests can reach deep underground, like a secret ant metropolis! ## Special abilities - **Burning Sting:** Red Imported Fire Ants can deliver a painful, burning sting because of potent venom that helps them defend their colony. - **Living Raft Builders:** Red Imported Fire Ants can link their bodies together to form floating rafts that helps them survive floods and travel on water. - **Super Colony Founders:** Red Imported Fire Ants has queens that can lay thousands of eggs daily that helps their colony grow quickly and spread far. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 2-6 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 500000 ## Diet & Feeding These omnivorous ants eat almost anything they find, from insects to seeds and even young plants! - **Primary Foods:** insects, seeds, young plants, honeydew, small vertebrates - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** Phorid fly (*Pseudacteon tricuspis*) — These tiny flies lay eggs on fire ants, causing them to lose their heads. - **Eats:** Nine-banded Armadillo (*Dasypus novemcinctus*) — Armadillos are known to dig up fire ant nests and eat the workers. - **Eaten by:** Big-headed Ant (*Pheidole dentata*) — Red Imported Fire Ants often outcompete and prey on this native ant species. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. - [Venomous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/venomous): Venomous organisms produce toxins that are injected into another animal, typically through a bite or sting. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Be careful around fire ant mounds and avoid disturbing them, as their sting can hurt. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red Imported Fire Ant? Compare the antennae, waist segments, body proportions and size. Workers, queens and males of the same species can look surprisingly different. Ant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Red Imported Fire Ant? 2-6 mm ### How long does Red Imported Fire Ant live? 30-90 days ### What does Red Imported Fire Ant eat? These omnivorous ants eat almost anything they find, from insects to seeds and even young plants! ### Where is Red Imported Fire Ant usually found? Urban areas ### How does Red Imported Fire Ant hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Red Imported Fire Ant have? 6 ### How large are Red Imported Fire Ant colonies? 500000 ## Where to spot - [Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albemarle-and-chesapeake-canal) — Virginia, US · Historic Site - [Bok Tower Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bok-tower-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Deep Creek Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/deep-creek-preserve) — Florida, US · Nature Reserve - [Caldwell Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/caldwell-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Hattiesburg Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hattiesburg-zoo) — Mississippi, US · Zoo - [Little Rock Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/little-rock-zoo) — Arkansas, US · Zoo [View all places to see Red Imported Fire Ant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-imported-fire-ant) ## Watch - [Play video: Red Imported Fire Ant](https://www.snappit.app/videos/red-imported-fire-ant) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=d90WD_u_324) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Red Imported Fire Ant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-imported-fire-ant)