Fire ant (Fire ant)

Japanese: ヒアリ(火蟻) - ヒアリ（英語表記）fire ant

Also known as the red fire ant. An insect of the Hymenoptera family, Formicidae. Worker ants are 2.4-6mm long, and body shapes vary in size; larger individuals have a larger head than the thorax and abdomen, with a concave rear edge of the head. Body color also varies widely, with some being yellowish brown, reddish brown, and blackish brown. The compound eyes are medium-sized, the antennae have 10 segments, the two at the tip of which are large, and the abdominal stalk has two segments. Nests are built underground in bright, open areas, and the ants sometimes pile up soil at the entrance, sometimes growing into fairly large colonies. The ants' poisonous stings cause severe pain and can leave skin inflamed, making them difficult to use in agricultural work.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

別名アカカミアリ。膜翅目アリ科の昆虫。働きアリの体長は2.4～6mm，体型に大小の変化があり，大型の個体は胸腹部に比べて頭部が大きく，頭部の後縁がへこんでいる。体色にも変化が多く，黄褐色，赤褐色，黒褐色のものがある。複眼の大きさは中くらい，触角は10節で先端の2節は大きく，腹柄は2節。巣は明るい開けた場所の地中につくられ，巣口に土を盛り上げることがあり，ときにはかなり大きなコロニーになる。このアリの毒針に刺されると激痛があり，皮膚に炎症が残る場合があるため農作業などに支障がある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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