Origin
Originally from South America, Little Fire Ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species.
An entire Little Fire Ant colony can fit in macadamia nut shell .
- Little Fire Ants don’t form mounds
- Nests don’t have distinct openings
- Nests in moist, shady areas, in trees, under tree bark, under rocks, within logs & in leaf litter
Little Fire Ant vs Tropical Fire Ants
Little Fire Ants are tiny, measuring 1/16th inch long, pale orange in color and move slowly. Tropical Fire Ants, which are established in Hawaii, are larger, move quickly and have a proportionally larger head.
Little Fire Ants (LFA) are a new, invasive stinging ant that will spread across the Hawaiian islands if we don’t take action now.
Click to ReportPotential Threat
Little Fire Ants can produce painful stings that cause large red welts and may cause blindness in pets. They can build up very large colonies on the ground, in trees, and in other vegetation and completely overrun a property. They will also freely move into homes.
Little Fire Ants infest yards, houses, farms, and forests. Their powerful stings harm people and wildlife. Little Fire Ants sting the eyes of pets, leading to blindness. Little Fire Ants damage crops, food production,
and the economy everywhere they have spread. Little Fire Ants alter (or impact) people’s lives because their stings are unavoidable.
Little Fire Ants (LFA) were introduced to Hawaii in the late 1990’s. The invasive stinging ants are spreading across the Hawaiian islands, and we all need to take action now.
A multi-agency response has been launched to survey and treat known and suspected Little Fire Ant locations. Contact the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity for information on residential treatment to help stop the spread and keep your family and pets safe.
Everyone should test their homes and yards and report suspected Little Fire Ants. We need your kōkua.
