Fire ants get their name from their painful bites and stings. These dark reddish-brown ants are extremely invasive, and they can be found throughout the southern part of the United States. Once they start attacking, fire ants will use their mandibles to grip their prey and inject their venom with a stinger. Fire ant stings are painful for most people, but they can be fatal for some. If you experience a severe reaction (such as sweating, nausea, or excessive itching), you should contact emergency medical services immediately.
Their sting (which has an alkaloid venom) is extremely irritating to humans that can cause red bumps and white pustules to form on the skin (which can eventually lead to scarring). Fire ant bites have been often been described as “stinging” or having a feeling of “intense burning,” and they have been known to attack potential threats or prey in large numbers. A fire ant colony may have anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000 insects, which will increase the likelihood that you will get stung multiple times. To avoid being stung by fire ants, be careful where you step, sit, or place items (such as food and drinks). If you see a fire ants mound, be sure to watch the ground for any ant activity.
Behavior of Fire Ants
Fire ants are omnivorous, so they will eat both animals and vegetation for food. The typical diet for fire ant workers includes the following:
- Insects.
- Earthworms.
- Ticks.
- Spiders.
- Arthropod eggs.
- Honeydew and other sweets
- Plant seeds.
They can also feed on vertebrate animals, which can include the following:
- Birds.
- Rodents.
- Calves.
Fire ants will also be ready to eat carrion (dead animals) regardless of whether they we the cause of death. Their larvae are fed by the worker ants, which consists of a liquid diet until they complete their third larval stage. Oonce they get to their fourth larval stage, they’re able to digest solid food. The average maturation time of fire ants from egg to adult is 30 days. Workers can live up to 180 days, and queens can live anywhere from two to six years.
Signs of a Fire Ants Infestation
One common sign of a fire ants infestation is the presence of worker and swarmer ants, but you may also see their sandy earthen mounts (which are usually more visible after it rains) as well as a growing number of complaints from people being stung. Fire ants will typically nest on the ground, with mounds that can sometimes be as much as 61 cm in diameter and about 18 cm high. Large colonies can have up to 250,000 workers. Because they’re so aggressive, they will repeatedly sting any intruder.
How to Control an Infestation of Fire Ants
Fire ants can be hard to control for several reasons. Not only can colonies be very large, but they can also go deep underground. They can have multiple queens. So if only part of the colony and a queen or two have been killed, they can recover. They also congregate in large numbers, which makes it more likely that another colony will form after one has been eliminated. Because fire ants can be dangerous to humans and their pets, you should get the help of a professional for these types of infestations. If you’re looking for a place that does pest control in Corpus Christi, Bug Busters Pest Control has an experienced team that can help you.
To find out how we can help you with Corpus Christi pest control, get in touch with us today!