Org is looking for news and content to keep this website fresh. The imported fire ant is unique because it is a pest in both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the ants cause indirect problems through their effects on the industrial and commercial infrastructure and the ecosystem. Damage estimates for the U.S. range from millions to billions of dollars annually across the imported fire ant's range. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually for control of the fire ant.
Fire ants are originally from South America, where dozens of fire ant species exist.
There have been two introductions of fire ants which have led to current problems. A second and by far the most damaging species, Solenopsis invicta, known as the red imported fire ant, arrived in Mobile sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, probably also in ship ballast. Additionally, several fire ant species were present in the U.S. prior to the importation of the black and red imported fire ants. These native species were sometimes a problem, and still can be a problem in areas not yet invaded by the imported form s. Secondly, the presence of many species of fire ants in both South and Central America and many islands means that they could reinvade the United States.