There’s nothing like walking barefoot on your grass until you get stung by a fire ant. If you live in Elizabeth City, you’re probably well aware of the pain and irritation that comes with fire ant encounters. But you’re not the only one who wants to keep them out of your yard and away from your family.
What Are Fire Ants?
Fire ants are red in color and have a visible stinger attached to their abdomen. Typically, they range in size from 1.6 to 5 mm long. From a distance, you might find it difficult to differentiate a fire ant from a more harmless species of ant. But you may not want to get close enough to positively identify this species. They tend to sting, and their stings are painful.
Before attacking prey, a fire ant bites down with their mandibles. Then they inject a powerful venom through their stinger. Despite their small size, fire ants pack quite a punch. The stings are painful at their least and deadly at their worst.
Symptoms Of A Fire Ant Sting
If you get stung by a fire ant, you’ll know it. While most people just experience pain, others have a severe reaction to the venom. If you have a bad reaction, you could expect to notice the following:
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Itching
The stings leave behind red bumps with white pustules, and the remnants could result in permanent scars.
Why Are Fire Ants So Dangerous?
If that’s not enough to make you dread fire ants, there are more reasons to fear them. One of the reasons that fire ants are so dangerous is their tendency to attack in large numbers. In one colony, there could be as many as 500,000 ants. If you step near a colony, you’re likely to be stung by multiple ants.
And most stings happen when people step or sit in a nest. Because fire ant mounds aren’t always obvious, you can only do so much to avoid being stung. Even your pets are at risk; fire ants have been known to sting dogs and cats. If your pet approaches a mound, it will be stung and could experience an anaphylactic reaction. It’s up to you to keep your pets safe from these ants.
Getting Rid Of Fire Ants
Preventing and eliminating fire ants is no easy task. Typically, colonies are large in size, and they extend through the ground for long distances. Unlike some other species of ants, fire ants have multiple queens. When you kill one queen, the colony will persist and grow.
There are some steps you can take to prevent fire ants from moving into your yard. First, you should keep your yard free of debris. Mow your lawn frequently, and be sure to pick up any grass clippings that your mower leaves behind. Ensure that your trash cans have tight lids and keep them as far away from your home as possible.
Getting Professional Help
As long as your yard has food, moisture, and shelter for the ants, they will be a risk to you and your family. Once they form a colony, the ants will be difficult to remove. You need to hire a professional to remove the mounds and eliminate all of the fire ants.
If you find fire ant mounds on your property, don’t try to remove them on your own. In addition to putting yourself at risk for a sting, you’re unlikely to resolve the problem. The ants will continue to build and reproduce. At the first sign of a red ant infestation on your Elizabeth City property, you should contact the professionals at Albemarle Termite & Pest. Call us today for professional home pest control, and let us keep your yard free of red ants.