Imported fire ants are primarily a people pest. Fire ants interfere with hay harvesting, maintenance of pastures, and some crops but present the greatest problem around dwellings where direct contact with humans is most frequent.
Concern arises from multiple stings often experienced by young children.
Hybrid fire ants have pushed the northern boundary into Tennessee. Red imported fire ants can be found in Georgia as far north as Murray County on the Tennessee Border. Imported fire ants have been reported in 156 of 159 counties in Georgia as of 1994. Polygynous fire ant colonies reach higher densities than monogynous colonies and may be harder to control. 2 Treatment costs for quarantine requirements in nursery and sod.