NOTE:Images are free to use with proper acknowledgement - "Photo courtesy of Oklahoma State University Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and/or Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry." If using photographs that are credited to an individual or other entity, please acknowledge same.
Red imported fire ants move into irrigated peanut fields in southern Oklahoma. Here, a colony is beginning to excavate a new mound at the base of a peanut plant (Photo by J. Vogt).
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Fire ant colonies along the irrigation ditch (left) constructed foraging tunnels out into the peanut field, foraging as far as 300 feet or more into the rows. Shortly after the ditch was cleaned out (late July/early August) colonies began moving into the field (Photo by J. Vogt).
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Fire ants resume their foraging tunnel construction so soon after irrigation that the soil is not yet dry on top. The loose soil in the center of the picture is a result of foraging tunnel construction (Photo by J. Vogt).
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Fire ants carry soil into structures they nest in. Here, a colony has made a mess of an electrical utility box (Photo by W. Smith).
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During hot, dry Oklahoma summers, fire ants frequently venture indoors in search of food and water. Poor construction practices can contribute to the problem. In this instance, fire ants entered a home through large gaps between the masonry and the windowsill and stung a young boy, who required hospitalization (Photo by J. Vogt).
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Fire ant mounds have a characteristic honeycombed appearance on the inside. This mound has been cut open for illustrative purposes.
