Many years ago, there was considerable research exerted toward an exotic tracheal mite, for which the imported red fire ant served as the primary host. The mite; and you can bet it was tiny, would reportedly parasitize the host-ant - causing the ant's death. I don't know whatever became of the mite. But, judging by the continued onslaught of fire ant, it hasn't been overly successful.
I do feel that the imported red fire ant has been a major cause of our seemingly reduced population of bobwhite quail and "horned toad" lizards
Horned Toad (the later of which used to be seen everywhere in Texas when I was a kid). If anyone has ever seen a fire ant colony in defense-mode or feeding-mode, you can understand how ground-nesting birds could be easily be impacted by their presence.
