ABSTRACT
Ecologically, S. invicta is a weed species and, as such, shows many of the biological properties of weeds. A brief point concerning the ecological nature of the fire ant is its seasonality. The average fire ant colony in North Florida produces about 4500 sexuals per year. Colony function refers to the general internal workings and social relationships within the colony, including behavioral, physiological and morphological aspects. S. invicta is a tropical ant lacking true hibernation, yet it shows strong seasonality in many aspects of colony life. Fire ants achieve rapid growth by cooperation rather than competition during the founding and incipient colony period. The fire ant is a weed species whose continued existence is favored by human ecological meddling. Its success as a weed is based upon high reproductive rate, excellent dispersal and colonizing ability, rapid colony growth and early reproduction.
