Tips To Keeping Fire Ants Away From Your Nashville Home
Whether you’re an avid outdoors person, trying to host a get-together in your yard, gardening, or simply trying to monitor your kids while they play outside, there is nothing worse than having to worry about avoiding fire ants. Given that name for a reason, fire ant bites are extremely painful, almost feeling like a burn. Unfortunately, there are plenty of fire ants in Nashville to go around, making it extremely likely that you could be at risk every time you step outside. Read on to learn about the best pest control in Nashville.
What Do Fire Ants Look Like?
Many different kinds of ants call Nashville home, sometimes making it hard for you to tell which kind is which. Below are some of the unique traits that fire ants possess, which can help you better avoid them if you happen to run into them the next time you’re outside:
- Color: While one might expect an ant called a ‘fire ant’ to be bright red, these ants are actually much duller than that. They typically have a bland red color ranging from reddish-brown to reddish-black.
- Legs: Fire ants have six legs, three on each side of their body.
- Size: On the smaller side of most ant species, fire ants are just under a quarter of an inch long.
- Stinger: Perhaps their most defining trait, fire ants have a stinger.
How Dangerous Are Fire Ant Bites?
Fire ant bites are a nightmare. They are a rather aggressive type of ant, and you are more likely to be stung on the feet and legs after you have accidentally stepped on a fire ant mound.
Below are some of the things you will experience following a fire ant bite:
- Local reaction: This is the most common type of reaction. After a bite, you will experience a burning sensation, leading to excessive itchiness and raised red welts.
- Blistering: The reaction will eventually turn into blistering, and this stage is known to be even itchier. If you were to scratch too much, you could cause a secondary skin infection.
- Ability to sting more than once: Unlike many other pests, fire ants can sting over and over again. If a child or a pet were to disturb a mound, they could be in even more danger because of their inability to remove themselves from the situation fast enough.
Is It Possible To Have An Allergic Reaction To Fire Ants?
Yes, most people will experience an allergic reaction to fire ant bites of some kind. This reaction will produce significant swelling and intense itchiness. The swelling can also become extremely intense while becoming hot to the touch and more and more painful.
Worst case scenario, some people will develop life-ending allergic reactions to fire ant bites. These signs of a severe allergic reaction will appear within thirty minutes of being bitten and are life-threatening. If proper medical intervention is not received immediately, death by anaphylaxis shock will follow shortly.
Fire Ant Prevention Tips
The best fire ant killer for your home are the professionals over at Urbanex. We are a family-owned pest control company with over 25 years of experience dealing with fire ant infestations, much like the problem you are having in your yard. Our expert technicians have the skills and the tools required to get the job done safely and effectively. They will then work with you to implement prevention strategies to ensure they do not return. We use home pest control products that are safe for you and your pets but deadly to the ants that have taken over your yard. Having a safe place to spend time outdoors is incredibly important; don’t let fire ants take that away from you. Call us today!
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