Red imported fire ant: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the red imported fire ant lives – recorded in 10 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Solenopsis invicta
Group	Bees, wasps & ants
Found in	10 countries
Continents	Asia, North America, Oceania, South America
Class	Insect
Order	Hymenoptera
Family	Formicidae

Where does the red imported fire ant live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the red imported fire ant in 10 countries and territories across Asia, North America, Oceania and South America. In Australia, China, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago it is listed as introduced (GRIIS checklists via GBIF).

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

What kind of animal is the red imported fire ant?

The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) is an insect in the order Hymenoptera and the family Formicidae, genus Solenopsis. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the red imported fire ant

Solenopsis invicta, the fire ant, or red imported fire ant (RIFA), is a species of ant native to South America. A member of the genus Solenopsis in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was described by Swiss entomologist Felix Santschi as a variant of S. saevissima in 1916. Its current specific name invicta was given to the ant in 1972 as a separate species. However, the variant and species were the same ant, and the name was preserved due to its wide use. Though South American in origin, the red imported fire ant has been accidentally introduced in Australia, New Zealand, several Asian and Caribbean countries, Europe and the United States. The red imported fire ant is polymorphic, as workers appear in different shapes and sizes. The ant's colours are red and somewhat yellowish with a brown or black gaster, but males are completely black. Red imported fire ants are dominant in altered areas and live in a wide variety of habitats. They can be found in rainforests, disturbed areas, deserts, grasslands, alongside roads and buildings, and in electrical equipment. Colonies form large mounds constructed from soil with no visible entrances because foraging tunnels are built and workers emerge far away from the nest.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Red imported fire ant (revision 1381454260), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q1194382 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).