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Red imported fire ant

Solenopsis invicta

名前について： Its species name, invicta, is Latin for "invincible" or "unconquered". It is called the fire ant because its sting causes a burning sensation.1

痛いだけ痛いけど、大きな害はないよ。

アリ

刺す食べもの：ちょっとずつ全部

人への危険: 痛いすごく痛いこともあるけど、深刻になることはほとんどないよ。

The red imported fire ant is an ant that comes from South America. It has spread to Australia, New Zealand, parts of Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and the United States, where it is seen as a serious pest. Its sting burns, and in some people it causes a dangerous allergic reaction.1

すんでいる場所

Native to South America. Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, several Asian and Caribbean countries, Europe and the United States.1

南アメリカ

ホーム

It lives in a wide variety of places, including rainforests, deserts, grasslands and disturbed land. It is dominant in altered areas and thrives in urban areas, where it nests alongside roads, buildings and in electrical equipment. Colonies build large soil mounds that have no visible entrances.1

長さ

5 mm (0.2 in)3

ふつうのおとなのサイズ

最高速度

時速約0.11 km（時速0.07マイル）

陸で, おおまかな予想

何を食べるの？

It eats dead mammals, arthropods, insects, seeds and sweet substances such as honeydew from hemipteran insects, with which it has developed relationships. It forages on warm or hot days, though it may stay outside at night.1

Red imported fire antの写真 — Red imported fire ant。写真：Judy Gallagher。 CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist.

見分け方

Workers are red and somewhat yellowish, with a brown or black rear section (gaster).1
Males are completely black.1
Workers come in different shapes and sizes.1
Colonies form large soil mounds with no visible entrances, because foraging tunnels lead to places far from the nest.1

毒パワー

刺す

毒は針から出るよ。

その毒（かむ・刺す毒）はどうなるの？

About 95% of its venom is made of water-insoluble piperidine alkaloids called solenopsins, and the rest is a mixture of toxic proteins that can be especially strong in sensitive people. Most stings cause intense burning and swelling, followed by sterile pustules (small fluid-filled bumps) that can last several days. In some people, a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis can occur, with dizziness, chest pain, nausea, severe sweating, low blood pressure, shortness of breath and slurred speech.1

人にとってどれくらい危険？

人への危険: 痛いすごく痛いこともあるけど、深刻になることはほとんどないよ。

More than 14 million people are stung by these ants each year in the United States, and many are expected to develop allergies to the venom. Between 0.6% and 6.0% of people may suffer anaphylaxis, which can be fatal if left untreated. More than 80 deaths have been recorded from attacks by this ant.1

いい知らせ：お医者さんには、これに効く薬（抗毒素）か治療法があるよ。1

こわいとき、どうするの？

It uses its venom and chemical signals (pheromones) to defend itself and its nest.1

刺されたら

People who only have pain and pustules need no medical attention. People who develop anaphylaxis need emergency treatment with adrenaline. Whole body extract immunotherapy is used to treat people who are allergic and is regarded as highly effective.1
刺されたところを洗って冷やそう。
その人が息をするのが苦しい、顔やのどがはれている、または気が遠くなりそうなら、アレルギーの緊急事態だよ：救急番号に電話しよう。

まず必ず救急番号（112、000、911）に電話しよう。これは一般的な応急手当の案内で、医療のアドバイスではないよ。応急手当の基本

安全に過ごそう

野生の動物には、小さくても、ねているように見えても、死んでいるように見えても、ぜったいにさわったり、つかまえたり、からかったりしないこと。
近づかないで。出会ったら落ちついて、ゆっくりあとずさりして、そのまま行かせてあげよう。
刺されたら：落ちついて、じっとして、救急番号（112、000、911）に電話するか、急いで病院へ行こう。見た目をおぼえておいてね。写真があると役に立つよ。

きみをねらっているわけじゃないよ。毒はエサをとったり身を守ったりするために使うだけで、本当はかくれていたいんだ。安全に過ごすためにもっと知ろう

世界のどこ？

アフリカアジアヨーロッパ北アメリカ南アメリカオーストラリアとオセアニア

どれくらい大きい？

どれくらい長い？

きみのつめの上にのるくらい小さい

Red imported fire antは、きみとくらべてどれくらい大きい？

ブラウザで計算しているだけ。何も保存されないし、どこにも送られないよ。

どれくらい速い？

カタツムリ 時速約0.05 km (0.03 mph)

Red imported fire ant 時速約0.11 km (0.07 mph)

リクガメ 時速約0.3 km (0.19 mph)

知っておく価値あり

データ

When water levels rise, these ants build rafts to float on.1

A single mature colony can contain between 500,000 and 2,000,000 individuals.1

Over 1,800 scientific papers have been published using its name, and it is one of the most studied insects on the planet, rivalling the western honey bee.1

Workers dispose of scraps and dead ants on refuse piles outside the nest, a behaviour called necrophoric behaviour.1

Workers can live for several months, while queens can live for years.1

うそ・ほんとう

うそ： The name "fire ant" comes from fire or burning nests.

ほんとう： The name comes from the burning sensation caused by its sting.1

毒のエキスパート向け

学名: Solenopsis invicta
グループ: アリ
家族: Formicidae2
ならびかえ: Hymenoptera
大陸: 南アメリカ
赤ちゃん: Winged males and queens mate during a nuptial flight in the warm seasons. A colony can be started by a single queen or by a group of queens, which later compete for dominance once the first workers emerge.1
人への危険: 2 / 5: 痛い3