Fishbrain is correct! They are an exotic species. We probably don't know the half of what they are doing to ecosystem. Like sea lampreys and african bee's once there here the native speicies are in trouble.

The prefect perscription for that would be some 89 octane (10% ethanol optional) and a match.

I used to fish from the bank at Mountain Creek in the 70's, I had to sit on an air mattress to fish. They attacked you so bad and so quick that before you got out of the truck you had to plan your moves between the truck and water. I did see floating mounds like that from time to time.

yea, and quail as well

gotta love those google searches!

Fire ants are omnivorous, feeding on almost any plant or animal material; although insects seem to be their preferred food. In rural habitats, fire ants have a major impact on ground nesting animals from insects to reptiles to birds to mammals. The arrival of imported fire ants into an ecosystem wrecks havoc on the local ecological community.

Studies (Allen et al. 1995) have shown that a minimum two-fold reduction occurs among populations of field mice, oviparous snakes, turtles and other vertebrates when imported fire ants are allowed to establish colonies within a given area. In some instances, the depredation by fire ants has completely eliminated some species from an ecosystem (Porter & Savignano 1990).

The reduction or elimination of a species or group of species from a system has repercussions throughout the local food web. Not only do imported fire ants reduce animal populations, they also feed on plants. Fire ants attack young saplings and seedlings. They destroy buds and developing fruits and have been shown to feed on the seeds of 139 species of native wildflowers and grasses (Lockley unpubl.).

Secondarily, fire ants "nurse" numerous homopteran pests of plants such as aphids and scale insects. Although not conclusively shown, observations indicate that their activity on the plant itself may reduce the ability of pollinators to successfully pollinate flowers.

There ya go!

So where do they come from, the rain forrest?

Central/South America...and my neighbor's crappy yard.

straight outta hell, followed closely by rattlebugs

fish brain knows what he's talking about, the only problem is how do we get the Bass-turds off our fking country

no more ticks though