Long-distance spreading speed and trend prediction of red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, in mainland China

Based on reported and collected data, the geographical distributtion maps of red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, at different periods in China were presented, and the spatial dynamic was analyzed. Area sqrt method and linear distance method were used to reveal the spreading speed of fire ant in mainland China as 26.5 km/a and 48.1 km/a, respectively. The model which described the relationship between invaded county number and duration after invading the mainland China was presented as NC=458013.8也1-0.999989 EXP渊-0.000001D2冤页, and about 364 counties would be infected in 2023.