Fire Ants
Fire ants look very much like ordinary garden ants. Fire ants :
 |
Are small
| Are coppery-brown in color on the head and body, with a darker abdomen
| Come in a variety of sizes within one nest, ranging from 2mm to 6 mm. This is a distinguishing feature of fire ants
| Have nests with no obvious entry or exit holes on top of them
| Can be distinguished by their aggressive behavior. |
Their nests can appear as dome-shaped mounds, up to 14 in. high, or can be found next to, or underneath other objects such as wood, logs, rocks, bricks or trash. Mounds will not always be evident, but are usually found in open areas such as lawns, along roadsides and vacant lots.
This species could easily be confused with the common brown ant as well as some local native ants. Fire ants inflict a fiery sting, which causes a small blister at the site of each sting after several hours. The blisters become itchy while healing and are prone to infection if broken.
Fire Ants vary in size
Fire Ant Bites
Fire Ant Mound
(Pictures Courtesy of Texas A&M University)
If you or anyone you know is bitten by a Fire Ants or any other Animal/Insect, call the West Texas Regional Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222!
