Fire Ant

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Solenopsis sp.

Description

Fire ants have medium red to black body coloration. Worker fire ants are 2-6 mm and queens can be up to 25 mm long. They are a nuisance pest in vegetable gardens and make structural damage to buildings.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of the fire ant resembles that of most ant species having four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The young fire ant queen lays 20 eggs per day. Egg-laying rates increase with the age and body weight of the queen to 500 eggs per day. The eggs hatch within a week and larvae emerge. In a couple of weeks, the larvae become pupae, and adults emerge in one to two weeks. Unfertilized eggs develop into winged males, and fertilized eggs develop into either sterile adult workers or winged reproductive alates.

Damage

Fire ants can damage various vegetables such as okra. They feed on the reproductive part of flowers leading the plant to stop reproducing. In dry conditions, fire ants feed on the stems of tender plants and damage them. Moreover, they are nuisance pests in the buildings. They build tunnels by transferring the particles of soil to the surface. It can lead to structural damage once it happens near walls, driveways, or pathways. Also, they are stinging pests and cause painful burns.

Control

  • Ant Ball/ Nematode Sprayer Combo
  • Nema Globe Ant Attack
  • NemaKnights Ant Attack

Advice

  • Mix an equal amount of lemon juice and water and spray it on high-ant-traffic areas. It deters fire ants.
  • Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with an equal amount of white vinegar and water and spray it in ant-traffic areas. The strong scent of vinegar will repel them.
  • Mix one teaspoon of liquid soap with one liter of water and spray it on ant-traffic areas. Soapy water can kill the fire ants on contact through dehydration.

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