Bug Identification Database

Fire Ants

Anyone who has lived in the South during the summer months has already had the unpleasant experience of being stung by fire ants. Fire ants are here to stay, but you don't have to put up with them in your yard or house.

BIOLOGY. Fire ants are social insects consisting of a queen, workers, eggs and larvae. The queen lives in a protected nest which may be several feet deep. There may be several satellite nests near the main nest and some nests may have more than one queen. Fire ants usually have two flying swarms each year. After mating the fertilized queen begins a new colony.