What Do Little Fire Ants Look Like?

True to its name, the little fire ant is very small. It’s 1/16th of an inch long, about as long as a penny is thick. That’s half the size of the tropical fire ant commonly found at the beach and often confused with LFA. Even without a microscope you can narrow down some of the characteristics of the little fire ant.

Key characteristics of LFA:

• Stings on neck, arms, and torso (LFA infestations are often discovered when ants fall on people from above).
• Uniform yellow-red color (some ants have two colors).
• Very small, about 1/16th of an inch, as long as a penny is thick.
• Build nests under leaf litter, rocks, or a piece of bark, NOT mounds.
• Easily falls off of things.
• Relatively slow moving.

Don’t confuse LFA with the widespread (and much bigger) tropical fire ant! Learn more at www.reportapest.org.

Spot the Ant. Stop the Ant.

Look for signs of infestation:

Painful stings on the neck and torso.

Pets blinded by stings in the eye.

Tiny pale orange ants as long as a penny is thick (1/16th inch).

Are ants stinging your neck or upper body?

Report it! The little fire ant is in Hawaii, but is not widespread. Report LFA to your local invasive species committee at Report-a-Pest or call 643-PEST.