Examining 11 Common Myths About Fire Ants: #4 Will Startle You!

2. Fire Ants Only Live in the Southern United States

Though this myth oversimplifies their distribution, many people assume fire ants are only found in the southern United States. Fire ants have lately increased their region greatly, while they are supposed to thrive in warmer climes and were first brought to the United States via Mobile, Alabama, in the 1930s. These flexible insects are now found all across the world, including in sections of Asia, Australia, and the Caribbean. Given enough moisture and food supplies, they have shown incredible resiliency and adaptation to exist in many habitats. Previously assumed to be immune to fire ant infestations, climate change and global trade have helped them to spread and cause concern for those areas.