ABSTRACT
The impact of imported fire ants (IFA) populations on the growth and yield of various crops has been studied in years so that cost-benefit patios could be estimated. Thus, a resurgence of IFA populations in agricultural lands was not apparent until the late 1970s. Additional concern about hypersensitivity to IFA stings is evident from the medical literature. The serious potential to public health associated with IFA stings is also emphasized by the extreme potency of the proteinaceous allergenic compounds of the venom. Damage to secondary roads, resulting from IFA excavating soil from beneath the roadway, was reported from Carteret County, North Carolina, in 1975. Fire ant predation on wildlife populations has been verified for 6 avian species. Miscellaneous activities of IFA associated with their mound-building and tunnel construction, aggressiveness, and their general obtrusive behavior in defending their territories can lead eventually to a variety of problems.
