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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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  2. Terrestrial Invasives
  3. Terrestrial Invertebrates
  4. Red Imported Fire Ant

Red Imported Fire Ant

Scientific Name

Solenopsis invicta Buren, 1972 (ITIS)

Common Name

Red imported fire ant (RIFA)

Synonym

Solenopsis wagneri Santschi (ITIS)

Native To

South America (Jemal and Hugh-Jones 1993)

Date of U.S. Introduction

Probably between 1933 and 1945 (Jemal and Hugh-Jones 1993)

Means of Introduction

Possibly introduced in ships' ballast (Fitzpatrick et al. 2007)

Impact

Can attack and cause painful stings on humans, pets, and livestock (Jemal and Hugh-Jones 1993)

Red Imported Fire Ant

Red Imported Fire Ant, Adult USDA, APHIS, Plant Protection and Quarantine Archives.

Source
Invasive.org

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Spotlights

  • Dampening the Spread of Fire Ants

    • Jun 24, 2024

    • USDA. ARS. Tellus.

    • ARS researchers use biocontrol methods to manage fire ant populations.

  • Invasive Red Fire Ants Found in Europe for the First Time

    • Sep 11, 2023

    • Natural History Museum (United Kingdom).

    • An invasive species of ant has been discovered in Europe for the first time. Nearly 90 nests of the red imported fire ant, or Solenopsis invicta, were found near the city of Syracuse, Italy, according to a new report published in the journal Current Biology. While the ants have occasionally been found in imported products in Europe, this is the first time they have become established in the wild.

  • ARS Research News - Sharing is Caring with Fire Ant Venom

    • Dec 7, 2022

    • USDA. Agricultural Research Service.

    • Venom is associated with being harmful, but red imported fire ants are using their venom for its medicinal benefits by sharing the toxic substance with their nestmates, according to a study published in the Journal of Insect Physiology. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists from the agency's Biological Control of Pests Research Unit and Southern Insect Management Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi, discovered a new way that fire ants use their venom to prevent diseases in their colonies.

  • Fire Ants and Other Burning Problems: ARS Scientists Target Some of America's Toughest Pests

    • Jun 27, 2022

    • USDA. ARS. Tellus.

    • ARS scientists are using a unique receptor interference technology that they have developed to target fire ants. The technology is environmentally friendly and can also be directed at other existing or emerging invasive pests to provide timely, cost-efficient pest control.

  • Fire Ant Week: Stamping Out Fire Ants

    • Google. YouTube; USDA. Agricultural Research Service.

    • Fire ants cause significant harm not only to humans, but to the food we grow? Imported fire ants have invaded about 350 million acres in the U.S., and they cause approximately $8 billion in economic damages per year.

      Learn more about what’s happening with this invasive species that has spread throughout the southern U.S., and what ARS is doing about it, as the Office of Communications launches a week-long fire ant campaign (June 22-28, 2024). ARS will feature videos, articles, and interviews with our scientists who are leading the fight against these tiny invaders.
      See also: Fire ant articles in Tellus

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Federally Regulated

Videos

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Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

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Citations