The red imported fire ant was accidentally introduced to the United States by a South American cargo ship that docked in Mobile, Alabama in the 1930s. It is now a common pest found primarily in the southern and southwestern parts of the United States.

A fire ant can both bite and sting. The bites or stings will have a red center that is surrounded by lighter colored rings, and there can even be tendrils of redness coming off the main area of the bite. Its primary symptom, however, is pain. People who are bitten or stung by fire ants can also experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, nausea, fatigue, and body aches.