(NewsUSA) - If ants have ever invaded your picnic basket or tasted a sticky snack on your countertop, you have undoubtedly encountered some of the everyday ants. However, with more than 700 ant species, it is not just the "common" ants that are causing problems. There are a host of non-native ants that are wreaking havoc across the country.
Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) -- According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, RIFAs occupy more than 300 million acres in 15 southern states and Puerto Rico. Most known for their painful bite, they are becoming increasingly infamous for the damage they cause to plant roots and crops. However, one of their oddest characteristics is that they are attracted to electrical appliances. In fact, technicians in Texas reported that "one-third of all repairs to air conditioners in the summertime were the results of RIFAs shorting out the terminal blocks."
kAmpC86?E:?6 p?ED \\ p?@E96C ?@?\?2E:G6 2?E[ E9:D DA64:6D 92D E2<6? FA C6D:56?46 24C@DD >@DE @7 E96 $@FE9[ r2=:7@C?:2 2?5 w2H2::] ~7E6? =@@<:?8 7@C >@:DEFC6[ E96D6 2?ED 4C2H= E9C@F89 D6H286[ EC2D9 2?5 5625 2?:>2=D[ A:4<:?8 FA 5:D62D6 @C82?:D>D E92E 42? E96? 36 3C@F89E :?E@ A6@A=6VD 9@>6D]k^Am
kAmrC2KJ p?ED \\ %96D6 2?ED[ 7@F?5 E9C@F89@FE E96 4@F?ECJ[ 86E E96:C ?2>6 7C@> CF??:?8 :? 2? 6CC2E:4 >2??6C H96? D62C49:?8 7@C 7@@5] %96J 7665 AC:>2C:=J @? :?D64ED[ 7CF:ED 2?5 9@?6J56H] %96J @7E6? 6?E6C 9@>6D 27E6C C2:?72==] x?D:56[ 4C2KJ 2?ED FDF2==J ?6DE F?56C?62E9 7=@@CD @C 42CA6E:?8[ :? A@EE65 A=2?ED 2?5 :? H2== G@:5D] ~FE5@@CD[ E96 ?6DED 2C6 D92==@H 2?5 4@>>@?=J 7@F?5 :? D@:= F?56C @3;64ED @C ?6IE E@ 7@F?52E:@?D]k^Am
kAm%96 }2E:@?2= !6DE |2?286>6?E pDD@4:2E:@? W}!|pX @776CD E96 7@==@H:?8 E:AD E@ <66A 2?ED 7C@> 4@>:?8 :?E@ J@FC 9@>6ik^Am
kAmY $62= 4C24<D 2?5 4C6G:46D 2C@F?5 E96 @FED:56 @7 J@FC 9@>6[ :?4=F5:?8 2C@F?5 5@@CD 2?5 H:?5@HD]k^Am
kAmY %C:> G686E2E:@? 2H2J 7C@> J@FC 9@>6 E@ AC6G6?E A2E9H2JD :?D:56]k^Am
kAmY r=62? FA 7@@5 DA:==D :>>65:2E6=J]k^Am
kAmY |2<6 DFC6 7:C6H@@5 :D ?@E DE@C65 ?6IE E@ J@FC 9@>6] pC86?E:?6 2?ED @7E6? 3F:=5 ?6DED :? >@:DE H@@5]k^Am
kAmY t=:>:?2E6 DE2?5:?8 H2E6C @? J@FC AC@A6CEJ] pC86?E:?6 2?ED 2C6 2EEC24E65 E@ >@:DEFC6]k^Am
kAmY x?DA64E 7@C >@F?5\=:<6 ?6DED[ A2J:?8 2EE6?E:@? E@ J2C5D 2?5 =2?5D42A65 2C62D[ A2E:@D[ D:56H2=<D 2?5 4@>A@DE A:=6D 2?5 F?56C EC66D 2?5 2C@F?5 6=64EC:42= 6BF:A>6?E]k^Am
kAmY x7 J@F D66 2 ?6DE @C @E96C D:8?D @7 2? :?76DE2E:@?[ 4@?E24E 2 A6DE AC@76DD:@?2=]k^Am
kAmu@C A6DE :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 E:AD[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]A6DEH@C=5]@C8QmHHH]A6DEH@C=5]@C8k^2m]k^Am
