Solenopsis invicta, The Red Imported Fire Ant
Species Fire ants are ants Probably the best known after the wood ants. Fire ants sting many people every year and form a huge problem in the Southern part of the USA.
There are 280 species of fire ants or red ants. This ant genus Solenopsis is found all over the world. But is is the Solenopsis invicta or Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) That causes most problems in the U.S. or thesis. The RIFA was accidently Imported in 1993 by a Brazilian cargo. Rifa is Responsible for at least U.S. $ 750 cost, varying from pest control to damage to crops.
Map based on current data distribution and ars.usda.gov
Errr. . this text is pretty wrong or at best / least, very misleading.
S. invicta may well have this "potential" global range under current climatic conditions, but the actual range of known infestation is (luckily) far narrower at present.
RIFA are known to have bone present (Wilson et al) in the continental USA since 1938 (docks, Mobile, Alabama), and Their sister genus, the black fire ant (BIFA rich or S. forsteri), for some 20 years longer.
U.S. national impact is currently Quantified (USDA, 2010) at U.S. $ 5 billion per annum, and the cost to land holders, industry and government (including medical costs) for Texas alone is estimated at U.S. $ 800-1000m per annum (USDA 2010).
I have being stung by one or thesis and it hurts like hell