Although there have been numerous incidental observations of fire ants attacking and killing wildlife, limited research has been done regarding the IFAs impact on wildlife populations. It has been documented that these ants are attracted to moisture in the eyes, nose and mouth of young mammals and in the hatching eggs of ground nesting birds and reptiles. More damaging than direct attacks on individual animals is the intense competition for insects and seeds. The IFA can dramatically reduce the amount of food available for loggerhead shrikes, bobwhite quail, horned lizards and many other species. It is difficult to determine the exact relationship between the IFA and other species but it is obvious more research is needed to determine the long term effects of this ant at the ecosystem level.
Fire ants are one of the most studied species of insects in the world and with good reason.
The IFA has an enormous economical and biological impact, especially in the United States. In its home range in South America, the imported fire ant is also affected by parasitic flies. These tiny flies use the ants as hosts for egg laying and in the process harrass the ants, reducing their foraging ability. A primary reason the imported fire ant has become such a problem in the U.S. is that our native species of flies paratisitize only our native fire ant and not its imported cousin. Funds from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of Agriculture are helping to construct the first experimental rearing facility for these tiny flies, which are currently the best prospect for biological control of the imported fire ant.