March 2016. A member asked if the image showed the red fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. It was taken at the Fogafale inlet, Tuvalu. Later, after checking Casper Vanderwoud’s paper on invasive ants, it seems to be Solenopsis gemmata.

It was sent to Disna Gunawardana, Senior Scientist (Entomology) at the Ministry for Primary Industries New Zealand who thought it more likely to be S. gemmata. Solenopsis invicta is much darker, i.e., more reddish in colour. Close-up images are required.