Fire Ants

How do they look?: Fire ants can be identified by their dull red body coloring, which ranges from reddish brown to reddish black. Fire ants also have a stinger. Fire ants build visible mounds often in sunny areas. Their mounds can be as large as 18 cm tall and 61 cm wide, and can be dome-shaped. Fire ants are least active during the hottest hours of the day. They also avoid darkness and shade, and are more likely to appear in open fields and lawns. 

What danger do they pose?:  Fire ant stings are painful for most humans and fatal to some: if a victim experiences a severe reaction such as sweating, nausea or excessive itching, emergency medical services should be contacted immediately. Their sting, which includes alkaloid venom, is highly irritating to humans and results in red bumps and white pustules, which can ultimately lead to scarring.