Do you know how to identify red fire ants? These pests are stealthy, and they can inflict pain with their bites. It’s important for homeowners to understand what they look like, where they nest and how they behave so that they can get in front of a red fire ant problem.
While working with a pest control company is the best way to deal with a red fire ant colony, there are prevention measures that homeowners can take to help deter these pests from their homes.
How To Identify Red Fire Ants
Fire ants are a major nuisance for homeowners, so it’s important to learn how to identify red fire ants to deal with an infestation. However, identifying these pests goes beyond knowing what they look like. It’s helpful to be able to recognize their behaviors and nest patterns.
Red fire ants are known for their reddish-brown bodies and large eyes. Their bodies have two segments: the thorax and the abdomen. Typically, the abdomen is a darker shade than the thorax.
In terms of their behavior, red fire ants are known for being aggressive pests, especially when their nest is disturbed. They live in large colonies containing hundreds to thousands of red fire ants at a time.
Like many insect species, red fire ant colonies have a strict hierarchical system. The red fire ant queen is responsible for reproduction, while the worker fire ants maintain the nest and forage for food.
Red fire ants are fierce defenders and will swarm and sting a person or animal they see as a threat without hesitation. Their stings are painful and can sometimes lead to allergic reactions, so it’s important to be careful around their nesting sites.
Red fire ants’ nesting sites resemble that of other types of ants in that they build dome-shaped habitats on top of the soil. The ant hills can vary in size and are typically made of tiny soil particles.
It’s important to note that red fire ants have a large diet that contains other insects, plant matter and more. They are dedicated foragers and opportunistic feeders. Once they find a reliable food source, they will appear in droves. For this reason, it’s important to be extremely careful around a red fire ant infestation and eliminate potential food sources.
How to Deter Red Fire Ants
The best way to avoid a red fire ant infestation is to deter them before they take up residence on your property. Luckily, there are many fire ant prevention methods you can use.
First, maintain a clean home and property. Food debris and spills can quickly attract a hoard of red fire ants, so it’s important to be proactive about cleanliness.
Sealing off any potential entry points that red fire ants could use to get inside your home is also important. Inspect your home’s exteriors for gaps, cracks and holes, especially around your foundation, doors and windows.
Outside your home, keep your lawn neat and vegetation trimmed and well-maintained. The cleaner your property is, the less attractive it is to red fire ants.
The best way to deal with a red fire ant infestation is to work with a professional pest control service. The experts can identify your problem areas that could attract these pests and recommend a treatment plan. If you already have an infestation, they will use professional-grade tools to treat the population.
Why Do Fire Ants Bite?
Fire ants are fierce defenders of their nests and colonies. They bite when they feel threatened. The most common reason red fire ants bite is that someone, either a human or animal, has stepped on their nest.
However, they are also proactive biters who will bite when someone simply gets too close to their nest. When you’re walking outside, it’s important to pay attention to where you’re going to avoid a red fire ant nest. Additionally, wearing close-toed shoes and long socks may help limit some of the bites.
Another reason that red fire ants bite is to protect their queen. Worker fire ants defend the nest so that the queen can continue to reproduce to grow the colony.
Red fire ant bites contain venom, which creates a painful sting. They typically look like red raised welts and can be painful and itchy. After a day or two, fire ant bites may start to look more like blisters. For most people, the pain and itching should go away in a few days, even if the welts stick around for a longer time.
Control Fire Ants With Professional Treatments
The best way to deal with a fire ant population is to work with a pest control professional. Their expertise and professional-grade treatments will control the fire ant problem.
What Do Fire Ant Eggs Look Like?
Did you know that a young fire ant queen can lay up to 20 eggs per day, and a mature fire ant queen can lay up to 5000 eggs per day? Since these pests breed quickly, it’s important that homeowners stay on top of a fire ant infestation before it becomes a massive problem.
It’s also important to know what fire ant eggs look like. Fire ant eggs are small, white and oval-shaped. They are often found in small chambers or soil that the queen fire ant digs to keep them safe. They are extremely difficult to see with the naked eye; they measure only half a millimeter in length, and some fire ant eggs can even be translucent in color.
The Benefits of Professional Pest Control Treatments to Deal With Fire Ant Infestations
Since fire ants’ eggs are hard to see and even harder to remove, working with a professional pest control service is the way to go. These pests reproduce rapidly, so the sooner you bring in the experts, the less of a headache you will have to deal with.
An expert can identify any fire ant nesting sites and implement control measures. If you have fire ants inside your home, they can also help identify their entry points.
Next, a pest control company can offer professional-grade treatments to get the job done. They take time to target the adult fire ants, as well as the eggs and larvae. It’s important to remember that the only way to fully control a fire ant infestation is to treat them at every life stage.
Kick Red Fire Ants Off Your Property With Professional Help
No homeowner wants to deal with a red fire ant infestation. Luckily, pest control providers can take care of the problem for you and give you your home back. If you have red fire ants on your property, contact your local pest control provider.
ABC Can Treat the Fire Ants on Your Property
Discovering a fire ant colony on your property is concerning for many reasons. Fortunately, ABC Home & Commercial Services can help. Our professionals will create a fire ant control plan that leaves you and your family feeling comfortable again. We can even help with other types of ants, like crazy ants.
