Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Gordon,
Can you tell me if these are fire ants? They are very small. Barely big enough to bit onto a rugosus leg, but the do.
These guys are living in my new outdoor enclosure and are having a flight tonight.
My little DHL is darting in and grabbiing the queens as they emerge.

Thanks!

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Phrynosoma.Com

Cable
Those are indeed fireants, Solenopsis xyloni to be exact. This is the time of year they fly like crazy.

Well, that is some bad news. I'll have to figure out how to remove them without introducing toxins to my enclosure. :|
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Phrynosoma.Com

These fireants are not a problem. These fireants are native and are not like Solenopsis invicta, a non-native. Solenopsis xyloni are fine for HLs.

Lester G.Milroy III
Conservation Biologist

Thanks very much Lester. I wondered why I didn't see the big mound that you read about. How are things with you these days? How are the studies coming?
I have not been to California in many months, but I would think the HL's would be having a very good year.
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Phrynosoma.Com

are the larger fire ants ok to feed as well? the ones that about 3 times as long as a standard house ant and have a red body and a black hind-end. (sorry don't remember the names for ant's body sections) i have a picture of the ants but i just have them on my computer not online anywhere.

these fire ants live in the same area as i got my pigmy horned lizard. i collected her about a month ago and she had babies!! 1 died at birth and then 1 wouldn't eat. the one i have left is eating and really enjoys fruit flies. my 5 year old daughter named him nemo! she also named the mother, her name is flower.

Those sound like pogonomymex californicus, which are not fire ants. They are harvesters. These should be fine to feed your SHL if she'll eat them.
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Phrynosoma.Com