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 Fire ants are a highly venomous pest that are a recognized threat in the U.S. While there are some native types, imported fire ants likely first came to the U.S. in the early 1900s in the South. Without the anteater as a predator in the U.S., fire ant colonies can thrive easily once they are established. The federal government attempted to eradicate them in the 50s, and then again in the 60s, but the fire ant population continues to grow and move northward as far as temperatures will allow.
 Fire ants, like other ants, have queen ants who lay eggs which then develop through the larval and pupal stage, before becoming adult ants. It's not uncommon for a fire ant colony to have multiple reproducing queens, even up to 100 or more. A queen ant can live for several years, sometimes up to seven, and can lay more than a thousand eggs a day. Unfertilized eggs become male ants, while fertilized ants become females, which are either reproducing queen ants, or sterile worker ants. The worker ants have different jobs depending on their age and size. Young workers help care for the queen and then they age into other jobs. The oldest ants are typically the ones who forage for food for the colony. Fire ants are omnivores that prefer insects but will feed on other animals and plants, and can do damage to crops.
 The fire ant gets its name from the reaction to the fire ant bite. They inject venom via a stinger and that produces a burning sensation. A single fire ant can attack multiple times. The stinging, burning pain from the bite will likely last from an hour to several hours, and within the next day a blister will form. If you get bitten by fire ants, you should take care to first wash the area well. There are a number of home remedies, including anything from a paste of baking soda and water, to a freshly cut onion applied to the area to help reduce itching and pain. The pustules that develop should be left alone, so as not to potentially introduce infection to the area. Some individuals may have a more serious allergic reaction to the bites, and should be taken to the hospital.
In hopes of avoiding being bitten, you will want to take care to avoid fire ants if possible. It helps if you can identify the ants and their habitats. There are red fire ants and black fire ants in a range of sizes. They are more aggressive than other types of ants, and will tend to actively attack if disturbed. Fire ant mounds differ from other ant hills, in that there is no exit hole at the top, but there are, instead, several around the sides. The mounds can be quite large too, even larger than a foot tall or around. These mounds can be found nearly anywhere outside, or even inside, and for some reason the ants are particularly attracted to electricity.
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