Collectible Wildlife Gifts | Ant, Red Fire Ant, Rubber Insect, Hand Painted, Realistic Toy Figure, Model, Gift, 3" CH222 BB119

Red Fire ants are several species of ants in the genus Solenopsis, which includes over 200 species. Solenopsis are stinging ants, and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants. Many of the names shared by this genus are often used interchangeably to refer to other species of ant, such as the term red ant, mostly because of their similar coloration despite not being in the genus Solenopsis. Both Myrmica rubra and Pogonomyrmex barbatus are common examples of non-Solenopsis ants being termed red ants. A typical fire ant colony produces large mounds in open areas, and feeds mostly on young plants, insects and seeds. Fire ants often attack small animals such as small lizards and can kill them. Unlike many other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, fire ants bite only to get a grip and then sting (from the abdomen) and inject a toxic alkaloid venom called solenopsin, a compound from the class of piperidines. For humans, this is a painful sting, a sensation similar to what one feels when burned by fire (hence the name), and the after-effects of the sting can be deadly to sensitive people. Fire ants are more aggressive than most native species, so have pushed many species away from their local habitat. One such species that Solenopsis ants parasitically take advantage of are bees, such as Euglossa imperialis, a nonsocial orchid bee species, from which the ants enter the cells from below the nest and rob the cell's contents. These ants are renowned for their ability to survive extreme conditions. They do not hibernate, but can survive cold conditions, although this is costly to fire ant populations as observed during several winters in Tennessee, where 80 to 90% of colonies died due to several consecutive days of extremely low temperatures. Collectible Wildlife Gifts is the market leader in providing high quality, realistic toys of all types! Every one of our items is heavily inspected for quality craftsmanship and authenticity. Our products make great gifts for your family and friends! Additionally, our lifelike animal figurines and plush make for great displays and educational sets. We are happy to serve our wide range of clientele from parents to educators, gift shop owners and many more! Our team works hard to ensure you get a great toy. All products from CWG are checked for quality to ensure you receive the order in perfect condition. From plush sharks to educational animal growths cycle we offer the perfect toy or gift for any occasion.