Impacts

Little fire ants are wreaking havoc in Tahiti, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and most recently, Hawaiʻi.

LFA are tramps: queen ants hitch rides in cargo to new areas.

Since an entire colony (a queen ant and workers) is small enough to fit into a macadamia shell, traveling unnoticed is easy. Once they arrive in a new location, LFA multiply and reach extremely high densities. They dominate, either by driving other insect species out, or by preying on them. Separate LFA colonies don’t compete with one another; instead they form super-colonies, nesting on the ground, in foliage, in homes and even equipment and supplies stored in infested areas.

They threaten everyone in Hawaiʻi

Children can’t play in yards infested with ants. (Photo Credit: Masako Cordray) — Children can’t play in yards infested with ants. (*Photo Credit: Masako Cordray*)

Some individuals may suffer from anaphylactic shock following LFA stings. (Photo Credit: Hawaii Ant Lab) — Some individuals may suffer from anaphylactic shock following LFA stings. (*Photo Credit: Hawaii Ant Lab*)

LFA sting aloha; families & friends fear spreading bringing or accepting food and plants as they may be infested with little fire ants. (Photo Credit: Masako Cordray) — LFA sting aloha; families & friends think twice about bringing or accepting produce and plants as they may contain little fire ants.
(*Photo Credit: Masako Cordray*)

Tourism will suffer as visitors can’t go to the beach or hike to a waterfall without being stung. — In infested areas, visitors and residents alike can’t go to the beach or hike to a waterfall without being stung.

Harvesting fruit or anything from trees becomes impossible without the constant rain of stinging ants falling from above. (Photo Credit: Masako Cordray) — Harvesting fruit or anything from trees becomes impossible without the constant rain of stinging ants falling from above. (*Photo Credit: Masako Cordray*)

Cats, dogs, livestock, and wild animals have gone blind after repeated stings in the eye. (*Photo Credit: Masako Cordray*)

Little fire ants have attacked sea turtle nests and hatchlings in Florida, (Photo Credit: Cynthia King) — Little fire ants have attacked sea turtle nests and hatchlings in Florida, (*Photo Credit: Cheryl King*)

Seabirds and songbirds have no protection against a swarm of stinging ants. (Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr) — Seabirds and songbirds have no protection against these stinging ants. (*Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr*)

Hawaii is home to some of the world’s rarest and most unusual insects. Little fire ants monopolize resources and drive out other insects. (Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr) — Hawaii is home to some of the world’s rarest and most unusual insects. Little fire ants monopolize resources, drive out, or prey on other insects. (*Photo Credit: Forest and Kim Starr*)

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