It's no secret that Jacksonville ants are annoying, but fire ants aren't only a nuisance. They're a dangerous pest that makes your property a hazardous place for everyone. Find out why fire ants are so bad to have around and learn how you can protect your Jacksonville property.
What Makes Fire Ants So Bad
There are too many species of nuisance ants in Jacksonville to list. However, there's only one local ant that's notorious for causing harm to people - the fire ant. Fire ants are small red ants that don't look intimidating from a distance. But take a close look at this pest, and you'll see powerful mandibles and a sharp stinger. When a fire ant comes across prey or a threat, they grab on with their mandibles and inject a strong venom.
For small creatures, the venom is lethal. This isn't usually the case for large creatures and humans, but it can be. If you have an allergic reaction to fire ant stings, you could require immediate medical attention. Whether or not you're allergic, you can expect to be uncomfortable. Fire ant bites are painful, and multiple bites are even more painful.
Attacking In Numbers
One fire ant alone may not bring you to your knees, but fire ants don't usually limit their stings to one at a time. One ant can sting you several times, and the other ants in the colony may join in. When fire ants perceive a threat, they all jump in to protect the colony.
As you receive more stings from fire ants, your chances of having a negative reaction increase. At the very best, you'll have pimple-like bumps that burn and itch, and at worst, anyone on your property could become a victim of a fire ant attack.
Nests Are Difficult To See
If you see a nest of wasps in Jacksonville, you can avoid it and prevent a sting. Sadly, it's not as easy to avoid fire ant nests. They have colonies that expand for miles, and the entrances to their tunnels aren't always obvious. If someone isn't watching every step they take, they could disturb a nest.
Children are particularly likely to encounter a fire ant nest. As they play in your yard, they could stumble across a colony of angry ants. The only real way to protect the people on your property from ants is to take preventative measures and eliminate the existing colonies.
Getting Rid Of Fire Ants In Jacksonville
Once fire ants inhabit your property, they're almost impossible to eliminate without the help of a professional. There are a few reasons for this, including the large size of each colony and the fact that there are multiple queens. Using an over-the-counter product or a mixture brewed in your kitchen isn't enough to get rid of fire ants.
Even if you manage to cause a dent in their population, fire ants will disperse and recolonize. There's nothing you can do to be sure they won't come back. While removing piles of leaf litter and cleaning up vegetation can make your yard less appealing to fire ants, it's not enough to give you complete protection.
Trust The Professionals
If you want to protect your property from the dangers of fire ants, you need our help. Here at Harvard Pest Control, our technicians are experienced in dealing with fire ants. We know how to safely eliminate existing fire ants, and what we need to do to ensure these pests don't return.
Our customized approach gives you protection and peace of mind. We offer ongoing assistance for fire ant control. If you're eager to get started, now.