18 replies to this topic

[ArmyAntz]

Red Imported Fire Ant livability in the United States based on climate characteristics differing from the Pantanal.

 

(Not based on current confirmed distributions). Mistakes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[jushi]

Thankfully they're nowhere to be found where I live!

[ArmyAntz]

Indeed

[TheMicroPlanet]

Glad i'm in the "impossible survival" zone. Kind of reminds me of the mongol's failed invasions of Japan.

[NickAnter]

I found them in an area where it was "Unlikely survival" and they were extremely prevalent, at the point they had a flight in early March.

[Zeiss]

They'd be able to thrive in almost all of Southern California. Where are you getting your information?

[NickAnter]

And some of the areas are way too cold in the winter for them. Feet of snow for months. Its impossible for tropical-subtropical species to survive in Mono County.

[Vendayn]

Arizona has so many Solenopsis invicta its crazy. I went to prescott one year for storm chasing and they were the only ant around in the urban areas. We stopped by a pond I believe it was, no houses around but a source of water from the pond and there was Solenopsis invicta and nothing else.

 

They thrive in southern california. They are the most common ant in Palm Springs. The second most common are Argentine ants. 

 

Map needs some work. Because it doesn't take into account irrigated cities and areas with constant water they can thrive in.

Edited by Vendayn, May 14 2020 - 3:58 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Thank God I’m in a purple zone.

[Antkid12]

Hmmm... Venemousbeast said he found them his area tho.

Edited by Antkid12, May 14 2020 - 5:11 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Still waiting on photo proof of that.

[AntsDakota]

I'm in the black zone. 

[NickAnter]

I'm in a yellow zone. None in sight. S. xyloni are far more prevalent.

[Barristan]

This species is a perfect example that ant species can't spread everywhere regardless of climate. They are adapted to a certain climate and an invasive sub tropical species will only thrive in that climate.

 

Same for an invasive species from temperate climate or is Myrmica rubra spreading to the southern States? Not it doesn't.

 

If some scientists wouldn't ignore facts to boost their own agenda, maybe more ant keepers would listen to them...

Edited by Barristan, May 14 2020 - 10:32 PM.

[PurdueEntomology]

It is a generalized map, for example East TN,W NC  would have a difference due to elevation so the purple should extend down through that region i.e. higher elevations of Appalachians.  I have found them at 3000feet in Blue Ridge in Blount County, TN but only along roads and on south facing slopes, never on northerly slopes and definitely not in forests, though I have found foraging into road/forest contact zones.  Also, when posting such maps etc the source of the map would be valuable and especially if it is a scientific article the link to the article.  Good science makes for good formiculture.

[ArmyAntz]

So I just want to clarify:

 

This map is NOT based on current distributions of Solenopsis invicta. It is a modified version of climate surivablility in comparison to the Pantanal using the "Köppen Climate Classification", average precipitation amounts, and average temperatures. 

 

Tropical Wet, one variation of the Pantanal climate (monthly temp variations are less than 3 degrees, and average monthly precipitation of at least 60 mm) is a climate that only exists in Miami, FL. Therefore Miami can be considered a perfect climate. Tropical Savanah and Tropical Monsoon are the other existing climates, and are only present in the Everglades and the Keys, therefore making Southern Florida a perfect environment for fire ants. 

 

 

From the Carolinas, all the way to west Oklahoma and Texas, and all along the south, the climate is ALL classified as Humid Subtropical. However, if we go further and look at the average precipitation amounts and temperatures, in Jacksonville, for example, there is an average precipitation of 108 mm per month, and an average annual temperature of around 70 degrees. That coincides with the three climates listed above, so the Jacksonville area can also be considered a perfect climate.

 

However in Dallas, Texas, on the far western side of the Humid Subtropical climate, we can actually see that the precipitation and temperatures vary a lot more (average temp of 75, 49 mm of rainfall). Not to mention the temperature difference is a lot more apparent during winter and summer (as low as 5 degrees during winter and 110s in summer).

 

Phoenix, Arizona is considered a Hot Desert climate. Phoenix has decent annual temperatures, but only gets around 17 mm rainfall a month, and has incredibly low humidity. This means solenopsis invicta are really only able to survive near irrigation lines, lakes, and other constant water sources. This map doesn't take that into account. 

 

 

Technically, invicta can survive in every single state, whether that is near a water supply, or inside heated/cooled buildings and houses. But that is unrealistic so only general climates are included. 

 

Of course a lot more detail could be added here, and yes this is a custom map, I should have made that more clear when I posted it so any feedback is useful, but I just wanted to clarify that these aren't based on recorded specimens, if they were then many places wouldn't be labeled as "unlikely survival".

Edited by ArmyAntz, May 15 2020 - 5:10 AM.

[CheetoLord02]

Arizona has so many Solenopsis invicta its crazy. I went to prescott one year for storm chasing and they were the only ant around in the urban areas. We stopped by a pond I believe it was, no houses around but a source of water from the pond and there was Solenopsis invicta and nothing else.

 

They thrive in southern california. They are the most common ant in Palm Springs. The second most common are Argentine ants. 

 

Map needs some work. Because it doesn't take into account irrigated cities and areas with constant water they can thrive in.

Can I ask what region of Arizona? I have been anting in Arizona numerous times and never once seen S. invicta, just loads of S. xyloni. Not sure if you're getting the two confused, but normally those two species can't coexist, and since there is abundant populations of S. xyloni all over AZ, any significant presence of S. invicta is extremely unlikely. Proof that they cannot coexist can be found in Florida, where S. xyloni used to be native, but due to the presence of S. invicta they haven't been present in the state for at least 2 decades (I believe they were last found in the 90s, but don't quote me on that). Anyways, AZ doesn't have invicta, at least not significantly. I'm going to be moving there in a few months so I suppose then I can look into it more, but I have enough experience with the state to confidently say S. invicta doesn't exist there, apart from maybe a handful of scarce colonies

[Vendayn]

Was over 10 years ago. But i believe it was the south bit of lake pleasant regional park. Was a big body of water and don't see any other place on the way to prescott. And was definitely solenopsis invicta. But they might not be there anymore was a while ago

[AntsDakota]

But they might not be there anymore was a while ago

Since when do RIFAs leave an area?