There is a wide range of nuisances that the residents of Plano must deal with, and fire ants are one of them. Most of the time, you’ll see a fire ant mound in your yard and will know to avoid the area until you can get treatment. However, sometimes they travel indoors.
Fire ants are one of the many pests that can enter your home and make life a little difficult. They are different from other ants and the first distinctive feature they have is their color. They are a reddish-brown color and their lower abdomens are reddish-black. However, you do not want to get close enough to identify them if you don’t have to. These ants are incredibly aggressive, they have small stingers, and they bite. They may look small, but in numbers they are mighty. If you have a fire ant infestation on your property, call All-Safe Pest & Termite. We provide reliable pest control in Plano and can handle your fire and problem safely and effectively.
Why Fire Ants Invade Homes
Cracks and crevices allow an entry point for fire ants to enter your home. They migrate inside homes during periods of intense heat, drought, and flooding rains. They march inside searching for nesting sites, food, and water. Fire ants can be found nearly any time of the year, but during the winter, they burrow deeper underground where temperatures are warmer and consistent. Once they are inside your home, it can be an incredibly difficult and daunting experience to get rid of them, so prevention is key.
Some ways you can prevent fire ants from entering your home:
- Eliminate points of entry, and be sure your windowsills and doorways are properly sealed.
- Keep food prep areas clean and sanitary.
- Sweep and vacuum often to clear away any food debris.
- Control ant colonies around your property. For example, if you find a fire ant mound in your yard, don’t just avoid it, but instead take steps to eliminate the problem.
- Create an ant barrier around your home before you see signs of fire ants inside.
The Problems Fire Ants Can Create Inside A House
Unlike other ants, fire ants do not generally destroy your property. However, they are extremely aggressive. If alarmed, they will swarm a potential threat to their nest, like an unsuspecting human or pet. Not only do they bite, but they also sting too. Their stings can cause large, and painful welts that take weeks to heal. Some people and pets can even have an allergic reaction to fire ant bites and stings. Allergic reactions can range from painful welts and skin irritation to anaphylactic shock.
Why It Is So Difficult To Get Completely Get Rid Of Fire Ants
Fire ants have huge and resilient colonies; a single one can house over 20,000 ants. Underground, their nests are exceptionally large and sprawling. Furthermore, inside these labyrinthine colonies, there is a single queen and without getting rid of her, there is no getting rid of the colony. Ants keep their queen well-guarded.
The fire ant queen lives deep underground where even some pesticides do not reach because she has the equivalent of royal taste testers. There are ants whose sole job is to store food inside themselves and then regurgitate it later for their queen. If they encounter poison and it doesn’t kill them, it loses its potency after it has been ingested once. They take these measures for the continuation of their colony, and they are always prepared to fight back.
Red fire ants on your property can cause all sorts of pain and aggravation, especially if you are one of the unlucky ones to experience fire ant bites. Our biggest concern about this problem for Plano homeowners is safety. Not many can take on such a massive problem alone, and truly no one should.
Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Fire Ant Infestation In Your House
There are plenty of hacks and DIY tricks that Plano homeowners have used to try to rid their homes of fire ant infestations, but most are not reliable, and the possibility of getting hurt is simply too great. If you suspect you might have red fire ants on your property or in your home, be safe and call All-Safe Pest & Termite. Contact us today. We have experts standing by with the right equipment, skills, and knowledge to give you the best fire ant control for your Plano home. Protect yourself, your family, and your pets by allowing our experienced technicians to remove a fire ant infestation from your home today.