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Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invicta

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Red Imported Fire Ant profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 61 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Beach 2025

Beach (2025). Solenopsis invicta. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysAn ant a few millimetres long
The source saysRange length 2 to 7 mmNote: tagline
The page saysSunny, disturbed soil in South America
The source saysIdeally, their habitat is in an area of freshly disturbed or loosened soil with direct exposure to sunlightNote: stats.habitat
The page saysnative to South America
The source saysare native to the Neotropical region of South America, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and UruguayNote: stats.habitat; body
The page sayssouthern US
The source saysRed imported fire ants are established in southern North America, as far north as the southern border of Virginia and southward through the Carolinas and Georgia to Key West, FloridaNote: stats.habitat
The page saysChina, Thailand, Australia
The source saysIn southeast Asia, red imported fire ants can be found in the southeastern third of China, the temperate regions of South Korea, the southern tip of Japan, and the majority of Thailand. Finally, these ants have established colonies in Ipswich and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.Note: stats.habitat; body (Queensland)
The page saysInsects, other animal tissue, seeds, nectar and sugary sap
The source saysAppropriate food sources for fire ants include nectar, sugar, sap, some animal tissues, insect tissues, grains, seeds, and human processed foodstuffs.Note: stats.diet
The page saysNot Evaluated
The source saysRed imported fire ants are not listed on the IUCN red listNote: stats.conservationStatus. The prefetch found no Red List assessment for Solenopsis invicta (GBIF has no category, no Crossref assessment DOI), so no IUCN reference is cited. Precedent llama.json.
The page saysWhen floodwater or heavy rain hits, a fire ant colony moves quickly to the surface and the ants link their bodies together
The source saysIn special cases of flooding or heavy rainfall, a mechanism is triggered wherein the colony rapidly moves to the surface to form a raft.
The page saysthe queen and the brood sit in the middle of the raft, with older workers on the outer edge
The source saysThe raft is formed out of workers latching on to each other in a three-dimensional lattice formation with the queen and brood in the center, and older workers on the outer edges.
The page saysWhen the raft reaches dry ground, several ants grip the surface and the colony begins to leave the raft
The source saysWhen the raft encounters a dry area, multiple ants latch on to the surface and evacuation of the mass begins.
The page saysThe first ones a new queen raises are usually about 2 mm long
The source saysIn younger colonies, the initial brood of workers will have had only a minimum amount of nutrients to grow, so the initial set of workers are exceptionally small, and are called minims or nanitics. Minims are usually 2mm in lengthNote: body
The page saysmature workers in a well-established nest may reach 6 mm
The source saysa fully mature worker (majors) in a well-established colony that may reach 6mm in lengthNote: body
The page saysa worker clamps onto its victim with its jaws and uses that grip to push its stinger in
The source saysfire ants will latch onto the victim with their mandibles and utilize that leverage to drive the stinger into the victim
The page saysoily
The source saysthey will inject an oily alkaloid solution
The page saysthe sting feels like intense burning, then turns into an itch, and that is where the name comes from
The source saysThe sensation of the sting has been described as an intense burning sensation which eventually transforms into a typical itching sensation. ... This sting is the reason for the namesake of fire ants.
The page saysAn alarm signal made of pheromones, which are chemical messages, sends the whole colony swarming at a threat
The source saysthe alert (or alarm) pheromonal signal that occurs when a colony is under threat. This signal has the immediate effect of mobilizing all ants within a colony to become suddenly more motile. This leads to a swarm response on the target
The page saysA mature, healthy colony can grow to 500,000 workers
The source saysIn a mature and healthy colony, queens lay an average of 800 eggs per day, and the colony population can reach 500,000 workers
The page saysThe queen lays an average of 800 eggs a day, and she can lay up to a thousand when the weather and food are right
The source saysqueens lay an average of 800 eggs per day ... The queen can lay up to a thousand eggs a day when the colony is healthy, the weather is ideal, and food is plentiful.
The page saysQueens live an average of 6.5 years in the wild
The source saysFire ant queens have an average longevity of 6.5 yearsNote: with ADW's lifespan block 'Status: wild 6.5 (high) years'. ADW updated 2025-10-01. Worker figures omitted: the page gives 91-375 days in one place and about 5 weeks in another.
The page saysForagers leave the nest through tunnels and find food mostly by smell, marking the way with pheromone trails
The source saysForaging begins with tunnels that radiate from the main nest in many directions. ... Using primarily smell, the fire ants locate a food source.
The page saysmarking the way with pheromone trails
The source saysmark their trek to and from food sources using pheromones secreted from various glands
The page saysThey eat nectar, sugar, sap, insect and other animal tissue, and seeds
The source saysAppropriate food sources for fire ants include nectar, sugar, sap, some animal tissues, insect tissues, grains, seeds
The page saysthey carry decaying food out to dump areas outside the nest
The source saysFood that has begun to decay, especially proteins and fats, will be thrown away by colonies in designated areas outside of the nest.
The page saysFlies made up the majority of the insects found in those waste piles
The source saysflies (58.5%) and isopods (21.7%) composed the majority of the insects found in waste piles
The page saysIn winter the ants stay below the surface and stop foraging, and a colony may shrink by 75 percent
The source saysFire ants brumate during the winter months, remaining below the surface and stopping foraging activities. Colony size may reduce by 75% during these periods
The page saysincluding Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay
The source saysincluding Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay
The page sayswhere they have been introduced they settle in places people disturb, such as pastures, parks, roadsides and golf courses
The source saysIn the non-native ranges, fire ants establish themselves in areas of human-caused disturbances, such as pastures, parks, golf courses, ditches, along roadways
The page saysand now live across the Gulf states and the Carolinas
The source sayssouthward through the Carolinas and Georgia to Key West, Florida. The are found in every state bordering the Gulf of Mexico
The page saysThey are also found in southeastern China and most of Thailand, with established colonies in Queensland, Australia
The source saysIn southeast Asia, red imported fire ants can be found in the southeastern third of China, the temperate regions of South Korea, the southern tip of Japan, and the majority of Thailand. Finally, these ants have established colonies in Ipswich and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
The page saysThe first small workers a young colony raises are about 2 mm long, while fully mature workers in an established colony can reach 6 mm
The source saysIn younger colonies, the initial brood of workers will have had only a minimum amount of nutrients to grow, so the initial set of workers are exceptionally small, and are called minims or nanitics. Minims are usually 2mm in length, which is strongly contrasted by a fully mature worker (majors) in a well-established colony that may reach 6mm in length.
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web gives 2 to 7 mm as the species' overall range
The source saysRange length 2 to 7 mmNote: queens: 'Queen fire ants are ... sometimes slightly larger size, between three to seven millimeters'
The page saysAnimal Diversity Web says the name comes from the sting, which feels like intense burning and eventually turns into itching
The source saysThis sting is the reason for the namesake of fire ants.
The page saysThe ant bites down to get a grip, then drives its stinger in
The source saysThis action is accomplished by an ant pinching down on the target with its mandibles, then leveraging its gastor into the target.
The page saysHalf a million sisters
The source saysthe colony population can reach 500,000 workersNote: heading
The page saysHalf a million sisters
The source saysFire ant workers are non-reproductive femalesNote: heading: workers are females
The page saysa name that also covers the black imported fire ant
The source saysThe introduction of red imported fire ants and black imported fire ants ( Solenopsis richteri ) into non-native ecosystems has allowed both species to flourish globally.
The page saysNo one has reported a weight for a single fire ant
The source saysWeights have not been reported for individual fire ants.
The page saysWorkers vary with the colony's age
The source saysFactors that impact the size and shape of the workers are: order of hatching, age of the colony
The page saysWhen a colony is under threat, an alarm pheromone makes every ant suddenly more active and they swarm the target
The source saysthe alert (or alarm) pheromonal signal that occurs when a colony is under threat. This signal has the immediate effect of mobilizing all ants within a colony to become suddenly more motile. This leads to a swarm response on the targetNote: vibe.reason
The page saysdangerLevel: Medium
The source saysThe sensation of the sting has been described as an intense burning sensation which eventually transforms into a typical itching sensation.Note: Medium is 'Can injure, but rarely seriously': a painful sting; no source on the page says it kills people

Source
02

National Invasive Species Information Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Red Imported Fire Ant. National Invasive Species Information Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The page saysItaly
The source saysNearly 90 nests of the red imported fire ant, or Solenopsis invicta , were found near the city of Syracuse, ItalyNote: stats.habitat
The page saysthey probably arrived between 1933 and 1945
The source saysProbably between 1933 and 1945
The page saysIn 2024 the USDA said imported fire ants
The source saysImported fire ants have invaded about 350 million acres in the U.S., and they cause approximately $8 billion in economic damages per year. Learn more about what’s happening with this invasive species that has spread throughout the southern U.S., and what ARS is doing about it, as the Office of Communications launches a week-long fire ant campaign (June 22-28, 2024)
The page saysA 2023 news item reported nearly 90 nests near Syracuse, Italy, the first time the species had become established in the wild in Europe
The source saysSep 11, 2023 ... An invasive species of ant has been discovered in Europe for the first time. Nearly 90 nests of the red imported fire ant, or Solenopsis invicta , were found near the city of Syracuse, Italy
The page saysThe ants had sometimes been found in imported goods in Europe, but this was the first wild population
The source saysWhile the ants have occasionally been found in imported products in Europe, this is the first time they have become established in the wild.
The page sayshave invaded about 350 million acres of the US and cause some $8 billion of damage a year
The source saysImported fire ants have invaded about 350 million acres in the U.S., and they cause approximately $8 billion in economic damages per year.

Source
03

Mlot, Tovey & Hu 2011

Mlot, Tovey & Hu (2011). Fire ants self-assemble into waterproof rafts to survive floods. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page sayslinks up with its nestmates into a raft that can float for days
The source sayshow fire ants S. invicta link their bodies together to build waterproof raftsNote: tagline; stats.superpower
The page saysa raft that can float for days
The source sayswhereas a group can float effortlessly for daysNote: tagline; blockquote
The page saysLinks bodies with its nestmates to form a waterproof raft
The source sayslink their bodies together to build waterproof raftsNote: stats.superpower
The page sayslink their bodies together
The source sayshow fire ants S. invicta link their bodies together to build waterproof rafts
The page saysOne ant on its own struggles in water, but a linked group can float for days
The source saysWhy does a single fire ant Solenopsis invicta struggle in water, whereas a group can float effortlessly for days?
The page saysa self-built water-repelling surface, a bit like weaving waterproof cloth
The source sayswe here demonstrate a self-assembled hydrophobic surface. We find that ants can considerably enhance their water repellency by linking their bodies together, a process analogous to the weaving of a waterproof fabric.
The page saysAlone, a fire ant struggles in water. Linked together, a group can stay afloat for days.
The source saysWhy does a single fire ant Solenopsis invicta struggle in water, whereas a group can float effortlessly for days?Note: blockquote
The page saysTeamwork as waterproofing
The source sayswe here demonstrate a self-assembled hydrophobic surfaceNote: blockquote lead

Source
04

Fox et al. 2019

Fox et al. (2019). Queen venom isosolenopsin A delivers rapid incapacitation of fire ant competitors. Toxicon.

The page saysThe venom is oily and contains insect-killing chemicals called solenopsins
The source saysFire ant venom contains insecticidal alkaloids named 'solenopsins'.Note: 'oily': ADW 'inject an oily alkaloid solution'
The page saysA queen founding a nest has to succeed alone, and a 2019 study expects her venom to matter against rival ant species
The source saysFounding queens must succeed in isolation in the field, where venom is bound to play a role against competitor speciesNote: from the full-text PDF; abstract: 'when queens must succeed in isolation in the field against competitor species'
The page saysqueen venom knocked out rival ants faster than worker venom did
The source saysQueen venom was found to incapacitate rival foragers quicker than worker venom.
The page saysQueens carry venom too
The source saysThe venom of fire ant queensNote: queen venom is the subject of the paper; quote from abstract: 'The venom of fire ant queens has remained particularly poorly studied'

Source
05

Ascunce et al. 2011

Ascunce et al. (2011). Global Invasion History of the Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta. Science.

The page saysat least nine separate introductions into newly invaded areas
The source saysat least nine separate introductions of S. invicta have occurred into newly invaded areas
The page saysA genetic study of 2,144 colonies from 75 sites worldwide found at least nine separate introductions into newly invaded areas
The source saysAn assessment of genetic variation at a diverse set of molecular markers in 2144 fire ant colonies from 75 geographic sites worldwide revealed that at least nine separate introductions of S. invicta have occurred into newly invaded areas
The page saysIt traced almost all of them back to the main southern US population
The source saysthe main southern U.S. population is probably the source of all but one of these introductions

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.