Secret To Effective Fire Ant Control In Dallas

There are few ants as frustrating as the red imported fire ant. There are some obvious reasons and some reasons that aren't quite so obvious. If you have fire ant mounds in your yard and you get too close to them, you're going to get stung. What you might not know is that those ants work together to sting you. Their goal is to take you down, even though they can't do so. Through the use of pheromone (chemical smells that act as commands), a group of fire ants will get on you and coordinate an attack to sting you at the same time. These tiny stings can result in many itchy, inflamed wounds with blisters or pustules. When scratched, these wounds can open and become infected. In the worst-case scenario, the venom of a fire ant can cause an allergic reaction, resulting in dizziness, trouble breathing, swelling of the tongue, confusion, and a loss of consciousness.  

If this isn't enough reason to be frustrated by red imported fire ants, they're also annoyingly difficult to get rid of. Why? Because some colonies have multiple queens. When you attempt to eliminate a colony, it could split into two or more colonies, making your problem worse. This is called budding. Licensed pest professionals prevent budding by using products with active ingredients that work slowly. By the time the queen realizes something is wrong, it is too late.

DIY Fire Ant Control

There are many tactics that homeowners in Dallas use to get rid of fire ants. Some of them are slightly effective. Some have no effect at all. Some make the problem worse. And then some methods are downright dangerous. We strongly recommend that you invest in professional ant control when it comes to getting control of fire ants. It isn't worth it to attempt to get rid of them on your own. You're likely to end up wasting a lot of time, energy, and money, only to turn around and spend more money hiring the professional you should have gotten in the first place.

The Secret

Many ants can come into your yard. Many of those ants can be deterred by reducing attractants such as moisture, food sources, decaying wood, etc. But fire ants will come into your yard for no other reason than because it is the next patch of ground to conquer. They'll create mounds right out in the middle of your yard with no fear of the sun drying them out. And they'll find food in a wide variety of places. Some might surprise you. Do you know that a colony of fire ants can work together to completely consume a frog in one night? If an animal dies in your yard, these ants will take quick advantage of it. You're not going to be able to hide the food from these ants.

Is there anything that works to prevent fire ants?

There are some prevention tips for keeping them out of your home. You can do a detailed inspection of your exterior and seal gaps, cracks, and trouble areas. Some common points that fire ants target are gaps around doors, windows, pipes, wire conduits, and other foundation penetrations. They'll get through cracks in your foundation walls, damaged screens, gaps where door sweeps are missing, gaps in weatherstripping around doors, and holes created by wood-destroying pests.

Trimming vegetation around your home can also help with keeping fire ants out. These ants use bushes, shrubs, and ornamental plants as bridges to get higher up on your exterior walls.

How All-Safe Pest & Termite Can Help

If you live in Dallas, and you're battling fire ants, we can help you win the battle. The products and strategies we use are field-tested and proven effective. We can inspect your property, assess your infestation, and apply appropriate treatments to eliminate the colonies present. If you're looking for long-term control, we can help with that as well. You don't have to live with irritating and potentially dangerous ant pests. Reach out to All-Safe Pest & Termite today. Schedule a pest control inspection for your property, and be done with those ants.