Invertebrates

Solenopsis invicta

Class: Insecta

Order: Hymenoptera

Family Formicidae

Subfamily Myrmicinae

Genus Solenopsis

Species S. invicta

Native to South America, these ants have swarmed the lower half of the United States. They live in large colonies ranging anywhere from several thousand to nearly one million strong. They fiercely guard their colony mounds and attack all intruders. They often kill other insects, small birds and rodents, and tiny reptiles. Many also scavenge and bring food back to their intricate tunnels. They are attracted to electrical and magnetic fields and will often crawl into air conditioning units and the electrical wiring of stop lights, shorting them out. This is the leading cause of traffic light shorts in Texas, where the ants cause more than $140 million in damage each year.