Red Imported Fire Ant
Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren)- The pedicel, or "waist" in the RIFA consists of two segments. Workers consist of many sizes (polymorphic) between 2.4 to 6 mm (1/8 to 1/4 in). The mandible has four distinct teeth and the antennae are 10-segmented, ending in a two-segmented club. A sting is present at the tip of the gaster. Body color is usually red to brown in color with a black gaster (Hedges 1997). Fire ants are similar to common ant species. Nests vary in shapes and sizes, the internal structure is honeycomb-like. They can appear dome-shaped up to 40cm high and usually have no obvious entry or exit hole. Mounds are usually found in open areas such as lawns, pastures, roadsides and unused cropland, but rarely occur in frequently cultivated areas. The red imported fire ant should not be confused with those species which are commonly called fire ants.
