fire ant

noun

: any of a genus (Solenopsis) of fiercely stinging omnivorous ants

especially : imported fire ant

Examples of fire ant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On that note, this fire ant killer may not work during hot and dry conditions because ants will likely be deep in the nest. —

Anna Halkidis, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2023 More information on fire ant control is also available at www.aces.edu. —

Katie Nichols Communications Specialist Alabama Cooperative Extension System, al, 12 Apr. 2023 The venom — specifically its formic acid component — proved to be the key to neutralizing fire ant venom. —

Ashley Braun, Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2014 For example, carpenter ants require a moist environment to build their colony, while fire ants usually set up mound nests outside. —

Anna Halkidis, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2023 Fact check:Bait is the most effective way to kill fire ants, expert says Fire ants 'repeatedly inject venom' Fire ants clamp onto their victims with strong jaws and repeatedly inject venom into a human with their stingers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. —

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 27 June 2023 Beyond habitat loss, the reasons for the steep decline weren’t entirely clear, though some scientists suspected fire ants, an invasive species. —

Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 17 July 2023 Heat, however, remains perhaps the most insidious threat in a stretch of 12-hour days that are often riddled with injuries and emotional stress, including fingers broken and battered by twirling rifles and flags, strained hamstrings, performance anxiety, homesickness and fire ant bites. —

Emily Cochrane, BostonGlobe.com, 1 July 2023 According to Brown, the most effective way to kill a fire ant mound is fire ant bait. —

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 27 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fire ant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.