ants can be identified by three body features—a pedicel with two nodes, an unarmed propodeum, and antennae with 10 segments plus a two-segmented club.

[6] A typical fire ant colony produces large mounds in open areas, and feeds mostly on young plants, insects and seeds.

Fire ants bring the larvae back to the nest, and protect them through the pupal stage in exchange for feeding on the fluid.

[10] Fire ants nest in the soil, often near moist areas, such as river banks, pond shores, watered lawns, and highway shoulders.

If no cover for nesting is available, dome-shaped mounds are constructed, but these are usually only found in open spaces, such as fields, parks, and lawns.

[14] Ants clumped in this way will recognize different fluid flow conditions and adapt their behavior accordingly to preserve the raft's stability.

Typically, a fire ant queen will seek to establish a new colony following a nuptial flight, wherein it will use its special venom to paralyze offending competitors,[17] in the absence of workers for defense.

After a male has successfully inseminated a queen, he will not get accepted back to the mother colony, and will eventually die outside the nest.

[29] Of particular concern, Australian researchers predict that the entire country is able to provide suitable habitat for RIFA colonization, with the exception of highland Tasmania and the Snowy Mountains.

[26] In the 11-year time period between 2001 and 2022, the commonwealth and state governments of Australia spent a combined AU$644m in their attempts to eradicate RIFA ants.

Despite the funded plan and a degree of success in the eradication of RIFA not seen elsewhere in the world, some Australian experts warn that the government on a national and state level may be moving too slowly given the size of the threat.

[30] In the US, the FDA estimates that more than US$5 billion is spent annually on medical treatment, damage, and control in RIFA-infested areas.

[33] RIFA are currently found mainly in warmer US states in the south-east of the country including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, but extend to include parts of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and California.

According to a study published in 2009, it took only seventy years for the lizards in parts of the United States to adapt to the ant's presence; they now have longer legs and new behaviors that aid them in escaping from the danger.

[36] The venom of fire ants is mainly (>95%) composed of oily alkaloids structurally derived from piperidine (also known as solenopsins) mixed with a small amount of toxic proteins.

The bump may develop into a white pustule within 24–36 hours which can become infected if scratched, but will spontaneously flatten within a few days if left alone.

[39] Some people may become allergic to the venom,[40] and if untreated, may become increasingly sensitive to the point of experiencing anaphylaxis following fire ant stings, which requires emergency treatment.

[47] Pseudacteon flies appear to be important ecological constraints on Solenopsis species and they have been introduced throughout the southern United States, starting with Travis, Brazos, and Dallas counties in Texas, as well as south central Alabama, where the ants first entered North America.

[17] A number of entomopathogenic fungi are also natural enemies of fire ants, such as Beauveria bassiana[51] and Metarhizium anisopliae[52].

The latter is commercially available for the biological control (as an alternative to conventional pesticides) of various pest insects, and a new proposed technology has increased its shelf life and efficiency against fire ants.

"True" fire ants are but a group of about 20 species of Solenopsis which are larger, and will viciously sting in swarms whenever disturbed.