How Do Fire Ants Eat?
WouterAlmost every type of food can be a source of food for fire ants. They eat everything from dead insects, to plants, to pests. Some fire ants have a penchant for a particular food source. The imported fire ant, for instance, will eat okra. This species originated in South America and spread throughout the United States and Mexico.
Imported fire ants feed on insects, plants, and animals. They also tunnel into the base of young corn stalks and potato tubers to kill these plants. They also prey on eggs, larvae, and pupae.
Fire ants have very strong mandibles and bite their prey. They will also sting intruding animals. Fire ants will also eat other insects to provide food for their colony. They scavenge for food in the morning and evening. They send a single worker ant out to locate and collect food. Once they locate the food, they carry it back to their nest.
While foraging, fire ants use their pheromones to mark the path to their food. This pheromone trail alerts the rest of the colony that food is available. In addition, workers ants will also pass food to one another.
Fire ants will eat almost any food they can find. Some ants have a penchant for okra and other types of plants. They are also known to feed on spiders and scorpions. They are also attracted to sweet secretions from plants.
Fire ants are aggressive animals and will sting people who try to enter their nests. They can also damage millions of dollars worth of agricultural crops. They are a serious pest in the United States.
