Something I've been wondering about for a while now

[Wise Old Owl]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_imported_fire_ant

yup invasive.

[Chris10]

A kid down in Texas died from being bitten by fire ants during football practice about two weeks ago. It's an extreme case, but they are by far one of the worst stinging insects out there, IMO anyway.

[marshbirder]

A kid down in Texas died from being bitten by fire ants during football practice about two weeks ago. It's an extreme case, but they are by far one of the worst stinging insects out there, IMO anyway.

That's sad. On the flip side, I remember when this was in the news: A woman skydiving, her main chute didn't open, she landed on a fire ant mount, which is credited for her survival. The stings caused a surge of adrenaline which allegedly kept her heart beating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Murray_(skydiver)

[Pedaling Fool]

A kid down in Texas died from being bitten by fire ants during football practice about two weeks ago. It's an extreme case, but they are by far one of the worst stinging insects out there, IMO anyway.

Chances are the kid was allergic; I wonder if bee stings would have had a similar effect upon him, or a myriad of other stinging/biting insects.

[importman77]

That's sad. On the flip side, I remember when this was in the news: A woman skydiving, her main chute didn't open, she landed on a fire ant mount, which is credited for her survival. The stings caused a surge of adrenaline which allegedly kept her heart beating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Murray_(skydiver)

Yeah, but at the time, if she was conscious she was probably wishing she were dead.

[Grampie]

I remember seeing some huge ant hills right along the trail in Pennsylvania. Some were 3to 4 feet wide and 2 ft high. Don't know if they were fire ants or not.

[icemanat95]

Not in PA. There are species of red ants up there that will sting, but not the same. Got into so fire ants or something similar at Ft. Benning in 1990. That sucked.

[lush242000]

Most ants go underground at night. Thus they don't bother you when sleeping. Learned that while doing a 21 day float on the Colorado.


Sent from somewhere.

[Astro]

It is my understanding from what I've read (newspapers, magazines, etc.) that the fire ants have "migrated" northward from warmer climates (Mexico? I think) and they really can't survive cold weather (yet - I suspect they will adapt). I know that at least 20 years ago I first saw them in south Alabama, and only in the last few years began seeing them here in north Ga. I am seeing them more frequently. . . And every time I do see them starting a "home" I put fire ant killer around their mound. I have so far kept them out of my yard, but do find some yearly.

so, in answer to the question - yes, they are invasive, yes they are aggressive, no, they are not in the mountains (yet), because they cannot take cold winters. Frozen ground kills the mound.

Most off the shelf "Ant Killer" I believe just sends them to your neighbors yard, that is until he does the same and you get them back. Perhaps explaining why you find them every year.

[Pedaling Fool]

Most off the shelf "Ant Killer" I believe just sends them to your neighbors yard, that is until he does the same and you get them back. Perhaps explaining why you find them every year.

I used to get ants in the house when I had a normal yard, i.e. grass, without any biodiversity. Since tearing up most of my grass and mulching, as well as growing a very diverse population of plants I have not seen ants come into my house. I still have ants, but my theory is that they just don't need to go looking too far for food, whereas before the grass just provided a desert-like landscape causing them to become desperate for resources.

Never use any pesticides.