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In the United States, RIFAs have gradually spread north and west despite intense efforts to stop or eliminate them. As of 2011 in the United States they were found in most of the southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
The southern fire ant (Solenopsis xyloni), also known as the Californian fire ant or cotton ant, [1]: 89 is a stinging fire ant native to southern parts of the United States. [2] [3] [4] Its behaviour is similar to the red imported fire ant (S. invicta), although its sting is less painful.
Fire ant queens may live up to seven years and can produce up to 1,600 eggs per day, and colonies will have as many as 250,000 workers. [12] [18] The estimated potential life span is around 5 years and 10 months to 6 years and 9 months. [19] Young, virgin fire ant queens have wings (as do male fire ants), but they often cut them off after mating.
Santa Barbara County has spent a total of $15,000 eradicating local populations of red imported fire ants to prevent the invasive species from spreading.
If you get bitten by a fire ant and experience swelling of the face, breathing difficulties, chest pains, or faintness, call 9-1-1 or have someone drive you to the emergency room immediately.
Agricultural officials in Southern California are battling an active infestation of red imported fire ants that are "highly aggressive in nature," and pose a risk to California's agricultural ...
Interactions between red imported fire ants and mammals have been rarely documented. However, deaths of live-trapped animals by red imported fire ants have been observed. [287] [292] [293] Mortality rates in eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) young range from 33 to 75% because of red imported fire ants. [294]
The state first detected little fire ants in 1999 at a nursery in Puna on Hawaii island, and they have since been found on Kauai, Oahu, Lanai and Maui.