Fire ants are pests that can bite, injure and kill livestock, domestic animals and humans. Red imported fire ants are divided among winged males, reproductive ants and worker ants. The worker ants are sterile female ants that protect the queen. They feed the queen food after they have eaten the food themselves, and they move the queen away from danger. The winged ants live in the mound and mate during the fall and spring. Males die soon after mating. A queen can lay a dozen eggs. Fire ants feed on other insects, which eliminates the need for insecticides.
The rasberry crazy ant is an invasive ant species found in Houston, Texas, in 2002. Millions of the reddish-brown pests have been found in indoor and outdoor nests. The ant is capable of biting to defend itself, which causes an initial sharp pain that fades. Large numbers of these ants can short-circuit electrical systems, causing equipment failure. The ant has been displacing the red imported fire ant, but many Texas residents prefer the fire ant to the rasberry crazy ant. The ants nest in areas rich with moisture and are attracted to the sweet part of plants.
The Texas leaf-cutting ant is rust to dull dark brown in color and is considered an agricultural pest. It is estimated that this ant causes agricultural losses in the amount of $5 million annually in the United States. Colonies have a single queen, worker ants and reproductive ants. Winged females and winged males that are much smaller have mating flights on moonless nights in April and May in the state. Virgin queens leave the parental nests after mating has occurred. The largest worker ants protect the entrance to the nest from intruders.
Carpenter ants can establish nests in a variety of environments. They prefer moist environments and can live in dead trees, ceiling beams, attic insulation, under rocks and above windows. There are 25 species of the carpenter ant in the United States and 1,000 worldwide. A single colony may have 15,000 workers. Very large colonies can have 100,000 workers with multiple queens. Adult ants vary in length. The winged ants are the reproductive ants. The carpenter ants remove wood to use for nesting and may cause structural damage to buildings.