What do Red Imported Fire Ant mounds look like?
There are several behavioral characteristics that identify this insect pest. One of the characteristics of the Red Imported Fire Ant is the type of mound it constructs. Unlike native ants, Red Imported Fire Ant mounds do not have one central opening into the colony. An extensive tunneling system is present within the mound. Red Imported Fire Ant mounds in California are unique from fire ant mounds found in the Southeast. In the Southeast, mounds typically look like those of a busy gopher, with crumbly soil piled up to 18 inches high. In California, most Red Imported Fire Ant mounds look more like flat patches of soil. These low mounds primarily occur when the colony is immature, or because the mound has been knocked down due to mowing or other disturbances. Red Imported Fire Ants build their mounds in almost any type of soil, in open, sunny areas including pastures, parks, lawns, meadows and cultivated fields. Mounds can also be located in rotting logs, and around stumps and the base o
