One half of one per cent of the population can have a severe reaction resulting in anaphylactic shock and possible death. I would still beg to differ with the radio ad. And I would also like to dispel some of the myths surrounding this insect and present some of the benefits they provide. First, the fire ant is not vindictive and vengeful. In fact, I doubt that they are even capable of such human emotions.
Fire ants are also aggressive hunters and foragers.
From their perspective, while you are napping in the grass at the park, you are fair game, and an excellent source of food that will last for a very long time. Second, I recently read that fire ants are a menace in more than 42 crops. It has also been demonstrated that, while they are a problem in some crops, such as soybeans and peanuts, fire ants are responsible for an increased yield in numerous other crops such as cotton, sugar cane, and tobacco because they prey on pests in these crops. Furthermore, in many places where they were considered a pest, research has shown they are actually a secondary problem. That is, they are there because something else caused damage, and the capitalized on that.