How high can you jump? Most people do not know until they step on a fire ant hill—barefoot. All it takes is a few bites and stings from these painful insects to make even the calmest individual jump. If you are dealing with a fire ant hill in your yard or you are looking for some ways to keep these pests away year-round, you are in the right place. Here are a few things you should consider about fire ants in Conroe and what it takes to control them.
What Do Fire Ants Look Like?
There are many different species of fire ants around the globe. Here in Conroe, the most common species is the red imported fire ant. Identify one of these pests by its ⅛ to ⅜” long, dark reddish-brown body and its usually darker colored abdomen and sometimes visible stinger. If you have a fire ant hill in your yard, identify it by the lack of a central entrance hole. Fire ants build tunnels away from central hills and create entry and exit points sometimes several feet away. Fully mature colonies of fire ants can have hundreds of thousands of workers and hundreds of queens. These multiple queens are part of the reason why fire ants are so difficult to eliminate.
How Dangerous Are Fire Ant Bites?
Do fire ants bite? Yes. Are fire ant bites what you should be worried about? No. Although these small pests will bite to scare away predators, this is not their preferred method of attack. Fire ants more often use their stingers and potent venom to protect themselves and their nests. These stings elicit a burning and stinging sensation on areas of affected skin and will sometimes itch for days. The best thing to do if you are being attacked by fire ants is to quickly leave the area while shaking or brushing the ants off of the areas they are attacking. As for how to treat fire ant bites and stings, the best thing to do is apply an ice pack or cold press to the affected areas, rub some hydrocortisone cream to relieve itching, and then apply calamine lotion for extra relief, if needed. If you experience a more severe reaction than pain, warm heat, and itching, you might have an allergy to insect venom.
Is It Possible To Have An Allergic Reaction To Fire Ants?
People with allergies to insect venom run the risk of going into anaphylactic shock after being injected with insect venom. If you have never been stung by a bee, wasp, or fire ant and you do not understand your risk, it is best to discuss this with your doctor to assess your risk. If you know you are allergic, as you already know, it is wise to carry an epi-pen just in case while spending time outdoors.
Fire Ant Prevention Tips
If you are looking for how to get rid of fire ants from your property for good, we are here to help. At Chase Pest Control, we offer comprehensive service options to aid homeowners with any pest problem they are up against. Using our advanced treatments in targeted areas, we will eliminate pests like fire ants from your yard. If you would also like protection to keep your home pest-free, year-round, we offer this option as well.
Contact our team today to find your answer to Conroe fire ants. One of our friendly services representatives will walk you through your options and through our care and professionalism show you why Chase Pest Control is your best option for pest control in Conroe.