They are also native to Central America and hitched a ride in un-inspected planters.
They’ve been spreading north from south Texas for at least 30 years. Another thing spread by illegal immigrants and under the table landscaping that doesn’t care about anything but price.
The ants controlled in their own environment by parasites, which Texas A&M is starting to use.
The ants need water, and their numbers are exploding now because of all the rain. If there’s no rain, they’re numbers drop.
My parents didn’t live near water and being on a hill, didn’t get flooded. I’m guessing that during our yearly drought, Dad flooded his garden and these ants may have collected in the pools.
The fire ants in the U.S. originated in Argentina and were first imported through the port of Mobile, Alabama. They were probably in a ships ballast.