Fire ants are small, reddish-brown ants that can grow anywhere from 1/8th to 3/8th inches long. They have segmented bodies, six legs, and a pair of antennae. Their abdomen is rounded and comes to a point at the end. This is where fire ant stingers are located.
Fire ants look like most other ants, so if you see them walking around, you might not think they’re any different than the other ants you see around your yard. However, several things set fire ants apart from other ant species.
First is their ability to sting. Most ant species do not sting, or if they do, their stings don’t cause a reaction in humans. Fire ants are one of only three species in the United States known to deliver painful stings. The other two are harvester ants and oak ants.
Fire ants build their nests differently than other ant species. Many ants build nests underground and can be identified by the small anthills they create. These anthills are small piles of dirt where the entrance to their tunnels is located. Fire ants do not create small anthills. Instead, they build huge ant mounds. These mounds can be dome-shaped or flat, are often irregular in size, and can be anywhere from two to four square feet in size.
Another difference between fire ants and other ant species is how aggressive fire ants can be. If you disturb most anthills, you might see a little spike in ant activity, but those ants won’t attack you. Unfortunately, that’s not what happens with fire ants. If you disturb a fire ant nest, these ants will come out en masse with one common goal: To protect their nest at all costs. It’s not unusual for dozens or even hundreds of fire ants to attack a person who has disturbed their nest, delivering many stings in the process.
Fire ants are one of the most dangerous ant species due to their ability to sting. If just one fire ant came out of the nest to sting you, it would be painful but not necessarily a big deal. However, because they sting multiple times and because so many fire ants will come out at once, getting stung by fire ants can be quite painful and, in some situations, harmful.
Young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are at the greatest risk of complications from fire ant stings. These stings result in red, raised bumps that turn into white pustules.
Fire ants are an invasive species that were likely brought into the United States on ships or fruit trucks. They thrive in warm, sunny climates with plenty of rain, which is why they are so common in Georgia.
Fire ants will move into areas with a good food supply, plenty of water, and the soil they need to build their nests. As omnivores, they’ll eat a wide variety of foods, but a yard that has a big insect population will provide everything they need to support their eating habits.
Fire ants will nest in almost any soil type, but they prefer loose soil and a sunny and warm yard.
Fire ants nest primarily in the ground. They prefer to build their nests near structures and landscaped areas. Although they prefer to remain outside, if they get indoors, they may build their nests in wall voids or ceiling cavities.
Because they are so large, it’s fairly easy to identify a fire ant mound. They’re usually located in open and sunny areas of your yard. If you see a huge pile of dirt in the middle of your grassy lawn, there’s a good chance it’s a fire ant mound. The mound can be flat-topped or dome-shaped. Unlike other ants that use their hills to access their tunnels, fire ant mounds have no entrances, so you won’t see any small holes or openings in them.
Preventing fire ants is not easy, but there are a few things you can do to make your property less appealing to them.
The best way to keep fire ants away from your house is to contact got bugs? for effective fire ant control.
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