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Black Fire Ants
Black fire ants, or Solenopsis richteri, were imported to North America. They are nearly identical in habits to red fire ants, and the only physical difference between them is in coloration.
Black fire ants are believed to have originated in Argentina and Uruguay, in contrast to the red fire ant, which has been linked to Brazil for its point of origin. The red fire ant has gained a strong foothold throughout the South, and is now commonly found as far west as California and as far east as Maryland. The black fire ant remains limited to a smaller region, consisting of Northern Mississippi and parts of Alabama.
Black fire ants live in mound-based colonies. Black fire ant mounds can grow to be as large as two feet in diameter. Like red fire ants, black fire ant colonies can house multiple queens, and frequently grow as large as 500,000 insects. Forager ants are most active during the sunniest, hottest hours of the day.
Black fire ants have a venomous sting, and a black fire ant's bite creates a red welt. If left untreated, these bites turn into painful white pustules and can lead to scarring. If a sting victim experiences severe headaches or nausea following a fire ant bite, seek professional treatment immediately. A small fragment of the population is allergic to the sting of the black fire ant.
Fire Ant Identification: What Does a Fire Ant Look Like
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