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Fire Ant Biology: Life Cycle and Development in the Mound

Learn about the fascinating life stages of fire ants, from egg to adult, including the roles of workers, reproductives, larvae, pupae, and queens. Discover how colonies thrive and adapt in response to environmental changes within their mounds.

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Fire Ant Biology: Life Cycle and Development in the Mound

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  1. Workers Reproductives Egg Larvae Pupa Adult Queen 1 The fire ant has 4 life stages 8 Mature colonies consist of a range of workers made up basically of two castes, a few majors and a large number of minors. Reproductives are produced during mating season. During the summer minors live 60-90 days, majors 90-150 days. Queens can live up to seven years. 2 The circle above highlights eggs found in the brood chamber of a mound. Eggs usually take 7-10 days to hatch. Fire Ant Biology: Life in the Mound Solar Radiation Lateral foraging tunnel Exit / Entrance Reproductive 3 Larvae molt four times over a 12-15 day period. The first three instars are fed regurgitated liquid food. 1st instar 2nd instar 3rd instar 4th instar Worker Lateral foraging tunnel Interconnected Chambers 4 The fourth instar is the only stage of fire ant able to feed on and digest solid food. The food is placed in a food basket just beneath the mouth (black arrow). Deep Tunnels Ants move the brood within the mound in response to changes in the ideal environmental conditions influenced by solar radiation 7 Pupae usually turn darker as they mature. Newly emerged adults are light in color and referred to as callows. 6 Pupae that will develop into different size workers. Pupae take 9-16 days to develop. 5 Larval instars that will develop into different size workers. Compiled by Fudd Graham and Vicky Bertagnolli Adapted from: Vinson, S. B. 1997. Invasion of the red imported fire ant. Amer. Entomol. 43: 23-42.

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