Autopsies of fish have shown that their stomachs were packed with flying (winged) imported fire ants. As noted in FAQ #796, "Why do flying fire ants land in my swimming pool?" flying ants are attracted to the reflective surfaces of the water. This provides an abundant food supply for the fish. When the fish consume many fire ants, the large quantity of food and the venom from stings could combine to cause the kills.More research is needed to definitively answer this question. There are frequent reports of fish kills attributed to fire ants, but there is still debate as to whether this actually occurs. Most of these reports are unfounded, but there have been a few documented cases.

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