. Cooperative economic insect report. Beneficial insects; Insect pests. 245 IMPORTED FIRE ANT (Solenopsis saevissima v. richteri Forel) Economic Importance: This introduced pest, through its foraging and mound building, is destructive to many agricultural crops and it is said to injure young livestock and wildlife in some instances. Its bite and sting are vicious, often interfering with labor activities in fields in infested areas. Reports indicate that the species is responsible for serious damage in pastures, meadows and other forage lands where mounds cause heavy damage to mowers and other
. Cooperative economic insect report. Beneficial insects; Insect pests. 245 IMPORTED FIRE ANT (Solenopsis saevissima v. richteri Forel) Economic Importance: This introduced pest, through its foraging and mound building, is destructive to many agricultural crops and it is said to injure young livestock and wildlife in some instances. Its bite and sting are vicious, often interfering with labor activities in fields in infested areas. Reports indicate that the species is responsible for serious damage in pastures, meadows and other forage lands where mounds cause heavy damage to mowers and other machinery. Loss on improved pasture land, including damage to machinery from mounds and loss in seed and hay, in Dallas County, Alabama, in 1952 was estimated at $40,000. Counts of 50 to 75 mounds per acre are common in some parishes of southern Louisiana. On crops it damages germinating seeds, roots, stems and young growth. Observations in Baldwin and Mobile Counties, Alabama, in 1951 showed 5 percent or $4,000 damage to 400 acres of cabbage; 10 percent or $5,000 damage to 75 acres of broccoli and $7,000 loss on 75 acres of okra. Distribution: Imported fire ant is believed to have been introduced into the United States at Mobile, Alabama, prior to 1920 but was not reported until 1930. It is now known to occur in areas of nine Southern States with heaviest infestations in Alabama, Mississippi, southern Louisiana and western Florida. The chief avenues of natural spread seem to be through nuptial flights; however, the insect may be spread by floods or in water-borne materials. By artificial means, dissemination can occur through movement of infested soil, nursery stock, gravel, logs, forage and through transportation conveyances. Outside the United States, the ant is reported from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. '^;:^-. Imported Fire Ant Mounds KNOWN DISTRIBUTION OF IMPORTED FIRE ANT (SOLENOPSIS SAEVISSIMA RICHTERI). Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page im
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