The Southern fire ant, Solenopsis xyloni, is a stinging fire ant native to southern parts of the United States. Its behavior is similar to the red imported fire ant (S. invicta), although its sting is less painful. Its main source of food is honeydew collected from aphids and other insects.
Southern fire ant shares its range (the area it inhabits) with the red imported fire ant (S. invicta), the golden fire ant (S. aurea) and S. amblychila. The Southern fire ant has the widest distribution of these, occurring from the Carolinas to Georgia through lowland Tennessee and south-central Kansas to California.
The scientific name comes from the Greek: Solenopsis means pipe-faced and xyloni means of-wood. This is unusual, however, because the Southern fire ant does not eat or inhabit bark or fallen timber.
Famous quotes containing the words southern, fire and/or ant:
“My course is a firm assertion and maintenance of the rights of the colored people of the South according to the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, coupled with a readiness to recognize all Southern people, without regard to past political conduct, who will now go with me heartily and in good faith in support of these principles.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“Men, you are all marksmen—don’t one of you fire until you see the whites of their eyes.”
—Israel Putnam (1718–1790)
“Turn on the prudent ant thy heedful eyes,
Observe her labours, sluggard, and be wise.”
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)