Fire ants Vs Red ants is a very interesting debate, as these two ants may look sane at times because the red ant is red while the fire ant is of reddish brown color which may sometimes confuse people about their type of species. Although, the size and other characteristics of both of the ants are very distinctive from each other and will be discussed in this article in much detail. In contrast, both of the ants are usually found in many regions of the US. The fire ant is known for their harmful and painful sting while the red ant does not cause many heavy or painful bites.
Fire ants prefer to eat protein only which includes small newborn snacks, months, dead insects, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and many other small birds. Simultaneously, red ants also like to eat protein food but along with it, they prefer to eat spicy, salty, and sweet food as well due to which red ants are most likely to be found in your homes when compared to fire ants.
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Fire Ants Vs Red Ants
Fire ants are more harmful than red ants, the article below is going to discuss multiple aspects of both types for which this article is known as fire ants vs red ants as you will see a comparative discussion of both ants at each level. However, according to the harm and quantity, fire ants are more dangerous and nest in big numbers while red ants are not so dangerous and also do not nests in such high bulk quantities.
Red Ants
Red ants belong to the category of fire ants which are red or brown. However, all of the red ants do not belong to fire ants but people often get confused about this and assume all red ants are a type of fire ants. Red ants are not so aggressive which also indicated they’re less dangerous to human beings. The most common species are found in the US, named as red carpenter ant. Red carpenter ants are not so troublesome ants though their bite may cause blood to bleed that too is very limited and their bite is not harmful or painful at all.
What Do Red Ants Look Like
Below are the characteristics that are found in the red ants, and easily elaborate on what red ants look like, these should be considered before claiming an ant to be a red ant.
Color
Red ants are a mix of red and brown, their upper body is red-brown, while the middle area of the body is the thorax, with the completely black abdomen part of the body. One should look for these color traits in red ants before deciding what ant they are seeing.
Size
Red ants are small in size or they are the size of a human fingernail. In numbers, the size is 9.5 to 13 millimeters approximately.
Nests
Red ants make a nest that looks like a tunnel, they usually make nests in trees, wooden pieces, or logs.
Where Red Ants Live
Red ants or sometimes called black carpenter ants are all found in parts of the US. However, many species that belong to the category of red ants are reportedly found in western states. Below is the list of many states where red ants are live and found in their nests or yards of the house;
- Alabama
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
What Do Red Ants Eat
Likewise, red ants are also attracted to anything that is a protein for which they also get attracted to dead insects, newborn lizards, snakes, turtles, and many other birds. Moreover, red ants are also attracted to salty, spicy, and sweet food due to which their chances of entering homes increase as these multi-flavored foods can easily be found in any house they get into.
Moreover; red ants need water very often to stay hydrated as dehydration can cause difficulties for the red ants immediately.
Are They Dangerous
Red ants are not so aggressive ants which means their bite does not harm the person too much but yes blood does come out of the wound these ants left. As they bite with huge mandibles which s results cut off that particular area of the skin and leads to bleeding. However, these ants are not too harmful and not as dangerous as fire ants.
Red ants usually don’t appear during the daylight which also reduces the chances of their biting human beings. These ants appear at night when they leave their nest for some time.
Get Rid Of Red Ants
The best way to get rid of red ants is to ask for professional help, especially from the pest control services department. However, if this is not done on time then red ants can cause multiple infections in thin e people which as result will lead to a decrease in their human productivity towards their respective work.
To avoid these continuing and serious impacts, professional help must be sought on time so that people should get rid of red ants on time. Moreover, to get rid of red ants, black ants could be used which actually eat red ants and cause the removal of red ants quickly from your place. Though, this will involve the bearing of the existence of black ants instead of red ants.
Fire Ants
Fire ants are not limited to just one species, there are many types of fire ants but the ones which appear frequently are RIFA (red imported fire ants). These species of RIFA are usually found in South America and are known for being painful stings as they are the most harmful of ants. Other than RIFA, people usually got a chance to see tropical fire ants and southern fire ants in their homes or yards. These two types are also harmful and cause a painful sting but when compared to RIFA they resulted in less harm.
What Do Fire Ants Look Like
Fire ants do not always look the same in size, likewise other ants, fire ants also have multiple species, and the size, color, and nature of each vary according to its type. However, the most common fire ants which are found in the US, have the following characteristics;
Color
Common fire ants have a reddish brown body, which starts with a bright red head and ends with a brown abdomen.
Size
Fire ants are usually sized between 1.5 millimeters to 5 millimeters, however, the size varies between different species but commonly remains in the range stated above.
Nest
Fire ants nest near the areas where there is food available, their mound is not very high, just 2 feet above the surface mound also does not contain any holes on the top. One type of fire ant may seem to create multiple mounds across one’s house, especially where there is food available nearby.
Where Fire Ants Live
Fire ants are a common species and they are found in bulk in the areas of South America mostly. However, several other American States also have fire ants as well which are listed below;
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- Puerto Rico
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
Usually, fire ants make mounds on moist soil and leaf litter, they are mostly nested in lawns, parks, meadows, and fields. Fire ants can also be nested in your home where they can enter to search for food and water.
What Does Fire Ants Eat
Fire ants usually eat food that is sourced to be protein rather than vegan food. Their main and favorite meals are grasshoppers, insects that are dead, fly larvae, all species of ants, caterpillars, and last but not least moths.
The list does not stop here as fire ants also eat the skin and wounds of animals, including newly born snakes, lizards, turtles, and many other birds which are small in size and easy to grab. Fire ants have multiple protein options to eat which makes their movement from one place to another very easy. They are not bound to live in one place due to food, they can eat a variety of proteins which allows them to frequently switch their nests.
Are They Dangerous
Yes, fire ants are dangerous, they have a painful sting that feels like a burnt human body, their sting causes pain, itching, irritation, and pustules which if scratched can become more dangerous. Many people who are sensitive to allergies can get severe allergies from the bite of the fire ant which could include other problems as well such as; nausea, excessive sweating, loss of breath, heavy swelling and if all the side effects are not treated properly on time then their sting bite can lead to death as well.
Fire ants not only cause danger to human beings but also the crops as well, as they create a mound which at times gets 1.5 millimeters in the ground and above as well.
Get Rid Of Fire Ants
Inside the house, food should be immediately removed from the shelves and crumbs should be cleaned up as well. Water should not stay for long times around the house and wood piles must be kept away from the house so that fire ants do not get the chance to create their mounds and nests. Extra large trees and shrubs should be cut down on time as well.
However, still, it’s not easy to get rid away from the fire ants as they create colonies that contain queens in bulk with workers in lacs, this makes it very difficult to remove them from your place on your own. Professional health must be sought to remove them which should be asked from the pest control services department.
Similarities And Differences Between Red Ants And Fire Ants
- Color, fire ants are also of red color which lets the homeowners think that they are seeing a red ant instead of a fire ant
- However, fire ants are much smaller in size when compared to red ants
- Fire ants usually nest in the ground while red ants nests in the wooden trees structures
- Fire ants are most active in the morning and the afternoon whereas red ants get active in the nighttime
- Red ants do o not often attack human beings while fire ants attack human beings frequently
- A fire ant attack is stingy, harmful, and painful while red ants attack is not that much stingy, harmful, and painful.
FAQs
Are Red Ants Dangerous?
No, they are not so dangerous especially if they are removed from one’s house or property on time.
Are Fire Ants Dangerous?
Yes, fire ants are very dangerous as their sting is very painful and can cause multiple infections and allergies if not treated on time.
How To Get Rid Of Fire Ants?
Seek professional help from the pest control authorities for immediate removal of fire ants.
What Do Red Ants Eat?
Red ants eat protein, spicy food, sweet food, and salty food as well along with huge quantities of water.
What do Do Fire Ants eat?
Fire ants only eat proteins which include dead insects, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and many other small birds and insects.
Conclusion
In the sight of the above article which contains a detailed discussion regarding fire ants vs red ants, a conclusion can be drawn that fire ants are more harmful and have more painful stings as compared to red ants. Fire ants prefer to eat only proteins while red ants get attracted to o salty, spicy, and sweet food along with protein. Both of these types of ants are found in the US mainly where many regions of the country have these and to get rid of both of the ants, professional help must be sought on time, preferably from the pest control services authorities.
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