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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Ants (Formicoidea) » Ants (Formicidae) » Myrmicinae » Solenopsidini » Fire Ants and Thief Ants (Solenopsis) » Fire Ants (Solenopsis Fire Ants) » Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta)
Photo#30113
Fire Ant Raft - Solenopsis invicta
Copyright © 2005 Jeff Abrams

Fire Ant Raft - Solenopsis invicta
Kisssimee River Prarie Reserve, Florida, USA
June 4, 2005
Size: the mass is about 1 ft
This raft was seen floating in a flooded portion of the Kissimmee Prarie. Im prettty sure the genus is Solenopsis, but Im not sure which species, and I doubt that its identifiable from this picture. It was taken from about 5 feet above the subject from a swamp buggy, and there was about 3 feet of water on the ground, so there was no getting a closer shot.

Can you imagine what would happen if something walked into one of these rafts? I cant even think about what to do if that happened, I doubt even dunking underwater would accomplish anything...

Eesh, scary little buggers
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Contributed by Kyle Pias on 1 September, 2005 - 10:04am
Last updated 25 October, 2005 - 1:31pm

Nightmare
I think I'm going to have a nightmare tonight after looking at that.
… himitsuheiki, 3 November, 2006 - 5:15pm login or register to post comments

Great Shot!
I just found this, and although it's been here a while, I wanted to add my thanks for this great photo. Living near Houston, we have fire ants, and I've tried to learn about them. I'd heard that the colony could ball up and float through flooding, but I couldn't imagine it was true. This image is instructive-- worth more than a thousand words!
… The Longs, 8 September, 2006 - 9:36am login or register to post comments

what about the bottom ants?
what fraction of the ants in this raft have drowned for the sake of the group?
… drbart, 25 August, 2006 - 9:57am login or register to post comments

 
I've seen some underwater pho
I've seen some underwater photography of S. invicta rafts. The ants rotate from the underwater side to the above water side with the queen staying in the middle. Enough air bubbles adhere to their spiracles that they have no problem being underwater for a period of a couple minutes.
… edwardlebrun, 5 November, 2006 - 6:50pm login or register to post comments

Solenopsis invicta
Solenopsis invicta
… Paul Lenhart, 17 October, 2005 - 10:33pm login or register to post comments

Yikes
no I can't imagine!
… Lynette Elliott, 1 September, 2005 - 6:27pm login or register to post comments

 
I heard on one of the early news reports
that there were ant rafts floating around the floods in the Hurricane Katrina-hit areas. The last thing those poor people need. Very scary!

This excellent image should be in the guide, I think - would you like to move it there?
… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 1 September, 2005 - 7:08pm login or register to post comments

 
Hmmm
I actually dont see this genus in the guide, and am not sure how to create a new guide page...
… Kyle Pias, 1 September, 2005 - 9:02pm login or register to post comments

 
Guide page made
There's a new guide page for Solenopsis, so you can move it if you want to now. I've been stung by a couple of fire ants, I can't imagine what would happen with that many. Nice image.
… tom murray, 1 September, 2005 - 10:58pm login or register to post comments

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