Like mercenaries of the natural world, fire ants are hardy, resilient, and vicious. They’ve become an invasive species thanks ...

Velvet ants are known as “indestructible insects”, in part because of their painful stings (and because they scream when threatened) but also because of their incredibly hard exoskeletons. The ...

This article is part of Texas Monthly’s special fiftieth-anniversary issue. Read about the other icons that have defined Texas since 1973. When Solenopsis invicta, a.k.a. the red imported fire ...

Fire ant stings are painful and can cause itchy bumps that may linger for up to a week. In some cases, individuals with allergies to fire ants have experienced anaphylactic shock after being stung.