Fire ants in sea-turtle nesting areas: A distribution survey of invasive ants in Boca Raton, FL

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is native to South America and was
introduced to Alabama in the 1930s. This predatory species rapidly spread throughout the
southeastern US and parts of the West Indies, causing serious ecological and economic impacts.
Solenopsis invicta is known to attack the eggs and hatchlings of ground nesting birds and
reptiles. The ants also swarm into sea turtle nests attacking hatchlings and diminishing their
chance for survival. This study is part of a larger research that aimed to survey the distribution of
ants at a sea turtle nesting beaches in South Florida and St. Croix, USVI. This particular study
was conducted in Boca Raton, Florida. Besides providing a baseline dataset on ant species
distribution in the area, this study also aimed at validating the survey methodology by finding
consistency in the distribution over multiple days surveyed. The results indicate that, although
more detailed surveys would produce more thorough results, we can state that the methodology
is consistent in determining species distribution.