Red Imported Fire Ant Research Paper
Invasive species in Florida Rehta Bossman
Everest Univeristy
Enviromental Science
5 Aug 13
Mr. Perry
Abstract
The Red Imported Fire Ant is a major pest in urban landscapes including residential/ commercial lawns, sports fields, golf courses, parks and threaten households, agriculture and wildlife.
“Red imported fire ants threaten agriculture, wildlife and homes”
Red imported fire ant bodies are reddish with shiny dark brown gaster and have a stinger. They have large eyes and three teeth on the front of the head. They have a ten segmented antennae with 2 segmented club and petiole with two nodes; no spine or thorax. Workers are polymorphic and differ in size, 1/16-to 1/5 inch long. Also extremely …show more content…
aggressive!
They nest in mounds with multiple openings in soil or lawns, usually in open sunny areas near a water source. If undisturbed, mounds may reach up to eighteen inches high and twenty-four inches wide and they become dome shaped after two- three years. Nests are sometimes found in buildings, wall voids, crawl spaces, or under carpets. Large colonies can be up to 500,000 workers with multiple queens.
Colonies may split and move to new locations. The red imported fire ants, also known as (RIFA) travel in distinct trails along foundations, sidewalks, patios, upside of buildings, along baseboards, and under edges of carpet.
This invasive species is extremely aggressive, if disturbed they will swarm out of nests and attack in large numbers which will inflict a very painful sting. They feed on living insects, dead animals, and honeydew from honeydew producing insects.
Since the introduction of red imported fire ants, it has become a major agricultural and urban pest throughout the southeastern states. In addition fire ants cause both medical and environmental harm. In agriculture, the RIFA frequently invades soybean crops and heavy infestations invariably yield few soybeans. Opportunistic feeding on the young tender growth by red imported fire ant occur throughout the year and can cause significant damage not only to soybean crops, but citrus, corn, okra, bean, cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, potato, sweet potato, peanut, and …show more content…
sunflower.
In urban settings, the RIFA may nest under patio slabs, in lawns, under edges of sidewalks, foundations, concrete driveways, and electrical boxes.
After a heavy rain the colony may move to higher ground or inside homes to take refuge from saturated soil. If nesting under patio slabs or concrete walkways, the nest cavity may cause concrete slab to fall and cause damage to the sidewalk.
Red imported fire ants have been reported to reduce ground nesting populations of rodents and birds. In certain instances, the RIFA may completely eliminate ground nesting species from a given area. The most important problem with RIFA is its sting. The workers can sting repeatedly and attack anything that disturbs their mounds or food sources. Symptoms of the sting include burning and itching followed by the development of a pustule that may take a week or two to heal. Scratching these pustules can lead to secondary bacterial infections and can leave permanent scars.
As usual with insect stings certain persons are hypersensitive to fire ant venom and may suffer chest pains, nausea or lapse into a coma from one sting. Birds and small animals can be harmed, or occasionally killed by fire ant stings. They will also sting poultry and domestic
animals.
The human toll from RIFA stings is an important public health concern. Stings may produce a large range of reactions from localized pain and swelling to anaphylactic shock, making it hard to estimate the cost to public health. State and federal agencies have spent more than $250 million in total in order to control or eradicate the fire ant. Private agencies and individuals spend $25 to 40 million yearly for chemical pesticides for fire ant control.
The red imported fire ant is native to the state Mato Grosso in Brazil. It was introduced into the United States at Mobile, Alabama, about 1940. The exact date and method of introduction is not known. It spread rapidly through southeastern U.S. during the 1940’s and 50’s and is presently found in 13 states from southern North Carolina and Florida west to portions of California. The first infestation found in Oklahoma was in the Waurika area of Jefferson County in July, 1985. The RIFA has continued to spread to the north and west. Many of these infestations are thought to be associated with movement of nursery stock and/ or turf.
References http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/TOOLS/ANTKEY/redimport.html http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/red_imported_fire_ant.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant http://entoplp.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/rifa.htm
Everest Univeristy
Enviromental Science
5 Aug 13
Mr. Perry
Abstract
The Red Imported Fire Ant is a major pest in urban landscapes including residential/ commercial lawns, sports fields, golf courses, parks and threaten households, agriculture and wildlife.
“Red imported fire ants threaten agriculture, wildlife and homes”
Red imported fire ant bodies are reddish with shiny dark brown gaster and have a stinger. They have large eyes and three teeth on the front of the head. They have a ten segmented antennae with 2 segmented club and petiole with two nodes; no spine or thorax. Workers are polymorphic and differ in size, 1/16-to 1/5 inch long. Also extremely …show more content…
aggressive!
They nest in mounds with multiple openings in soil or lawns, usually in open sunny areas near a water source. If undisturbed, mounds may reach up to eighteen inches high and twenty-four inches wide and they become dome shaped after two- three years. Nests are sometimes found in buildings, wall voids, crawl spaces, or under carpets. Large colonies can be up to 500,000 workers with multiple queens.
Colonies may split and move to new locations. The red imported fire ants, also known as (RIFA) travel in distinct trails along foundations, sidewalks, patios, upside of buildings, along baseboards, and under edges of carpet.
This invasive species is extremely aggressive, if disturbed they will swarm out of nests and attack in large numbers which will inflict a very painful sting. They feed on living insects, dead animals, and honeydew from honeydew producing insects.
Since the introduction of red imported fire ants, it has become a major agricultural and urban pest throughout the southeastern states. In addition fire ants cause both medical and environmental harm. In agriculture, the RIFA frequently invades soybean crops and heavy infestations invariably yield few soybeans. Opportunistic feeding on the young tender growth by red imported fire ant occur throughout the year and can cause significant damage not only to soybean crops, but citrus, corn, okra, bean, cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, potato, sweet potato, peanut, and …show more content…
sunflower.
In urban settings, the RIFA may nest under patio slabs, in lawns, under edges of sidewalks, foundations, concrete driveways, and electrical boxes.
After a heavy rain the colony may move to higher ground or inside homes to take refuge from saturated soil. If nesting under patio slabs or concrete walkways, the nest cavity may cause concrete slab to fall and cause damage to the sidewalk.
Red imported fire ants have been reported to reduce ground nesting populations of rodents and birds. In certain instances, the RIFA may completely eliminate ground nesting species from a given area. The most important problem with RIFA is its sting. The workers can sting repeatedly and attack anything that disturbs their mounds or food sources. Symptoms of the sting include burning and itching followed by the development of a pustule that may take a week or two to heal. Scratching these pustules can lead to secondary bacterial infections and can leave permanent scars.
As usual with insect stings certain persons are hypersensitive to fire ant venom and may suffer chest pains, nausea or lapse into a coma from one sting. Birds and small animals can be harmed, or occasionally killed by fire ant stings. They will also sting poultry and domestic
animals.
The human toll from RIFA stings is an important public health concern. Stings may produce a large range of reactions from localized pain and swelling to anaphylactic shock, making it hard to estimate the cost to public health. State and federal agencies have spent more than $250 million in total in order to control or eradicate the fire ant. Private agencies and individuals spend $25 to 40 million yearly for chemical pesticides for fire ant control.
The red imported fire ant is native to the state Mato Grosso in Brazil. It was introduced into the United States at Mobile, Alabama, about 1940. The exact date and method of introduction is not known. It spread rapidly through southeastern U.S. during the 1940’s and 50’s and is presently found in 13 states from southern North Carolina and Florida west to portions of California. The first infestation found in Oklahoma was in the Waurika area of Jefferson County in July, 1985. The RIFA has continued to spread to the north and west. Many of these infestations are thought to be associated with movement of nursery stock and/ or turf.
References http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/TOOLS/ANTKEY/redimport.html http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/red_imported_fire_ant.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant http://entoplp.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/rifa.htm