Stinging Ants at Gopher Tortoise Burrows

Several predatory ant species are known to attack, injure, and even kill vertebrates.
Perhaps the most notorious of these are the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta and
the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata. In areas where they invade, both are most
common in disturbed habitats. Solenopsis invicta often dominates open, grassy areas, while
Wasmannia auropunctata more often dominates in forested areas. This study compares the
distribution of ant species, including Solenopsis invicta and Wasmannia auropunctata at
the burrows of Gopher Tortoises at the Abacoa Greenway located in Jupiter, Florida.
Wasmannia auropunctata replaced Solenopsis invicta as the dominating species at our
study site in 2021, compared to the results gathered by Rich Jones in 2013. Although both
species are not selective with their targets, this shift in pattern could result in a difference
of injuries to the Greenway’s inhabitants and should be considered a potential threat in
future wildlife schemes.