In the early 1900s, fire ants came to the mainland United States aboard ships that had docked in their native South America. Within several years, fire ants had spread across the southern United States. Today, many products are available to control fire ants. However, when all fire ants are eradicated from an area, many different species of ants begin to cause disturbances. When one fire ant mound is reintroduced, no other ants cause problems. What could explain this behavior?

Question

A.
Fire ants do not allow any other ants in their territory, but when they are eradicated, the other ants can resurface.

B.
All the species of ants are dying out because of the warmer weather.

C.
Only the fire ants are becoming resistant to the chemical pesticides.

D.
Because fire ants are an introduced species, they do not socialize with the other ants. When they are removed, the other ant species become more active.

Answer 1

The correct explanation for the observed behavior is:

A. Fire ants do not allow any other ants in their territory, but when they are eradicated, the other ants can resurface.

Fire ants are known for being aggressive and territorial, which means they can outcompete and suppress other ant species when they are present. Once fire ants are removed from an area, other ant species that were previously kept in check can then become more active and potentially cause disturbances.