How to Get Rid of Fire Ants
Fire ants are dangerous to human beings, as they can inflict painful stings. If you are allergic to the sting, the consequences can be very serious. Sometimes they are also known as the red ant, or the red imported fire ant. The "imported" portion of this name gives you a good indication that they are not native to many places; ecologically speaking, this is a devastating problem in more areas of the world as these little creatures hitch a lift with imported goods. Here are some tips for getting them away from your living space using environmentally-friendly means.
Steps
- Locate the area in which the ants are congregating. If this happens to be your backyard, fence off the nest area immediately and prevent any members of your family or your pets from accessing this area.
- Be very careful. Fire ants are aggressive and will attack people and animals. Seek professional help immediately if you do not feel that you can eradicate the ants on your own.
- Purchase an environmentally-friendly product for killing the ants. See Organic Fire Ant Control Methods for the "Texas Two Step Organic Method of Fire Ant Control." It provides suggestions for less toxic ways to remove fire ants and is a method that was developed by the Texas A&M University.
- Try other natural remedies used for ants in general. However, if these remedies require you to get close to the ants' nest or to disturb the nest in anyway, then the methods are likely to be dangerous to you as they will anger the ants who will respond by reacting aggressively and trying to sting you. Do not take any foolhardy risks; assess the extent of the problem carefully. If it is a small nest, you may be able to deal with it by yourself with simple ant-ridding measures. If it is a larger colony, or several nests, however, you may be better off seeking professional assistance. Ask for environmentally-friendly methods of control to be used in your back yard.
Tips
- A fire ant nest usually has several entrances, so make sure deal with all of them.
- Worldwide distribution of the fire ant is increasing as they hitch a lift in garden materials, on timber, in fruits and vegetables, etc. They have been found in the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
- If you discover fire ant nests while out walking in your city, suburbs, countryside or back country, alert the local authorities responsible for biological control. They may not be aware of the outbreak and will be keen to monitor the increasing encroachment of the ants. They will also have their own methods for repelling the ants, including biological control agents such as phorid flies.
Warnings
- Do not let children play in the vicinity of these ants. Remove all play equipment, toys and other inviting objects if the children do not understand that they shouldn't go near them. Fence the area off if necessary.
- Tell children not to aggravate fire ants in their nests. This will make the ants react angrily, with possible dire consequences.
Sources and Citations
- Fire Ants in the USA
- Fire Ant Increasing Ecological Danger in Australia
- Fire Ant Background Information - Wikipedia
- Anaphylaxis after fire ant sting - includes photos of the sting reactions on an arm & what a nest looks like
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