Actually, nothing unusual in gardening or the bug world surprises me
anymore. I've seen so many things that are that shouldn't have been.
We have had two cases of fire ants nesting in Maryland in the past five
years. Both originated in container landscape stock from Texas and
then colonized areas right up next to large commercial buildings. The
colonies apparently survived one winter but local experts believe that
was due to a relatively mild winter and the microclimate effect of the
building. We have had numerous cases of fire ants in container
landscape and interior plant stock. Last year thirty potted Norfolk
Island pines were delivered to a local Home Depot and at least half
were infested with fire ants.
Allegheny mound ants are similar in size to the imported fire ant (they
are more brown than red however) and they will bite if the colony mound
is disturbed but they do not have an abdominal stinger similar to the
fire ant.
----------------------
Bob (watching the June beetles fly) Stewart
Southern Maryland (USDA Zone 7)
rs72@umail.umd.edu
