If you see fire ants, the first thing out of your mouth is probably going to be something like, “Oh No!” After all, one fire ant sting is likely to leave you sore for some time, and if you’ve ever had an entire colony after you, you know just how dangerous these little beasts can be. If you’re not familiar with Fire Ants, though, you should be, and this guide can help.

  1. Fire ants are reddish brown in color. They are usually about 1/8 inch to ¼ inch in length.
  1. Often, the mound is a dead giveaway that fire ants are nearby. Their mound can be found in many types of soil. They like to make their mounds in sunny, open places like parks, pastures, fields and, yes, your front or back lawn. Their mounds can get up to 18 to 24 inches high.
  1. There are more than one species of fire ants. In fact, there are a number of different species throughout the country, and some are even indigenous.
  2. The biggest common factor among the fire ant species is that their sting is powerful. If you are stung, it’s not usually fatal, but it will leave a mark. The best thing to do in this scenario is to treat it with an over-the-counter product that is made for insect bites and stings. If you have an allergic reaction such as swelling, itching or redness that is excessive or shortness of breath, swelling of the tongue, or horrible sweating, then it is important to seek immediate medical attention.

The Next Step

So, the question, then is what to do about fire ants so that you can protect yourself and your family from them. First, it is important to know that it is much easier to prevent fire ants from colonizing in your lawn than it is to eliminate them once they have built their nests.

In order for prevention or elimination to happen properly, you should make a phone call to your residential lawn care service specialist, Slug-A-Bug. If you already have an infestation, we can assess the problem, then utilize low impact methods to get rid of the infestation. Either way, we will also work with you on a plan to prevent fire ants from invading your lawn using environmentally sustainable methods.