Red ants are known as social ants because they build nests, which are known as mounds.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

They are also known as Fire ants, they belong to the genus Solenopsis. They grow about 1/8 to 1/4 cm in length. They can live on every kind of soil, open and sunny areas like parks, playgrounds, beaches, agricultural lands, farms, and meadows, etc.

One thing to be noted about red ants is that “There is no natural predator of red ants”. But scientists from the Northern US have produced a phorid fly to biologically control these red ants. 

Their lifespan depends upon their size.

Minor worker’s lifespan is around 30-60 days, a media worker’s lifespan is around 60-90 days, a major worker can live up to 90-180 days and the Queen ants can live 2 to 6 years longer.

Bugs and worms

Red ants like to eat larvae of termites, chinch bugs, mosquitoes and monarch caterpillars, etc. Red ants eat worms, spiders, ticks, fleas, stink bugs, boll weevils and mites. Also, Red ants like to forage on dead insects and worms like earthworms, dead cockroaches, dead fish, etc. They also feed on dandruff as dead skin cells are full of protein. Red ants sugars, greasy food, and meat for protein.

Know that Red ants eat seeds of different flowers like sunflowers etc. Red ants also eat arthropod eggs. Red ants love to eat sweet food like honey and extra ripened fruits.

What red ants don’t eat?

Red ants don’t eat aphids and black flies because they are attacked by them and aphids prey on ants. Red ants don’t eat wood, clothes, or any kind of fabric. Red ants can’t eat black ants, but they may attack each other.

Red ants do not directly feed on plants. However, Red ants do eat nectar and nutrients from different plants, leaves, grass, vegetables, roots, etc.