During spring and summer, winged male and female fire ants mate in the air. After mating, females become queens and may fly as far as 10 miles to start a new colony.
Fire ants tend to be on the move in warmer weather.
Many pest control operators will apply bait during a warm front when the ants are out foraging. Fire ants develop wings in the spring, enabling them to move around and relocate quickly. Any disturbance to the mound will bring hundreds of crazed fire ants scurrying to the surface, ready to attack anything that moves. A fire ant sting results in one or more painful blisters that can remain for days and often scar. Like a bee sting, fire ant venom causes an allergic reaction in some individuals, which can be fatal.