The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), also known as the fire ant or RIFA, is a species of ant native to South America. A member of the genus Solenopsis in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was described by Swiss entomologist Felix Santschi as a variant in 1916. The name S. invicta was given to the ant in 1972 by American entomologist William Buren who believed that he had described a new species. However, the variant and species were the same ant. Although S. invicta is not the original ants' name, it was preserved due to its wide use. The red imported fire ant is native to South America but it has been accidentally introduced in Australia, New Zealand, several Asian and Caribbean countries and the United States. The red imported fire ant is polymorphic as workers appear in different