Fire Ant Control In Washington DC

Fire Ant Exterminator Serving Washington DC

If you're dealing with a fire ant infestation in Washington DC, it's essential to call in a professional exterminator to handle the problem. Fire ants are known for their aggressive behavior and painful stings, which can be a serious threat to both people and pets. They can also cause damage to your lawn and garden. An experienced exterminator will have the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively eliminate the ants and prevent them from returning. Look for an exterminator with a good reputation, and be sure to ask about their experience with fire ants specifically. They can use different methods such as baiting, dusting, or liquid treatment, depending on the severity of the infestation. With the right exterminator, you can rest assured that your fire ant problem will be solved quickly and effectively, ensuring the safety and protection of your family, property and the environment. Contact us today and we'll start getting rid of the fire ants around your property right away!

Biting Ants

The bite of a red fire ant produces a burning or stinging sensation. Stings first manifest as red welts. Fire ant stings are identified by the sting’s appearance and the ant’s aggressive efforts to come from their above-ground nest in huge numbers to sting. Each ant bites and then repeatedly stings if not removed. If the ant stings often enough, multiple stings may show up in a small, semi-circular pattern. Fire ant stings appear as a reddish lump on the skin that in time becomes a small blister. The symptoms of fire ant stings may vary depending upon the sensitivity of the person and the number of times they are stung.

Fire Ants

Fire ants are several species of ants in the genus Solenopsis, which includes over 200 species. Solenopsis are stinging ants, and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants. Many of the names shared by this genus are often used interchangeably to refer to other species of ant, such as the term red ant, mostly because of their similar coloration despite not being in the genus Solenopsis. Both Myrmica rubra and Pogonomyrmex barbatus are common examples of non-Solenopsis ants being termed red ants.

The bodies of mature fire ants, like the bodies of all typical mature insects, are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen, with three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae. Fire ants of those species invasive in the Washington DC area can be distinguished from other ants locally present by their copper brown head and thorax with a darker abdomen. The worker ants are blackish to reddish and their size varies from 2 to 6 mm (0.079 to 0.236 in). In an established nest these different sizes of ants are all present at the same time.

A typical fire ant colony produces large mounds in open areas, and feeds mostly on young plants, insects and seeds. Fire ants often attack small animals, such as small lizards, and can kill them. Unlike many other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, fire ants bite only to get a grip and then sting (from the abdomen) and inject a toxic alkaloid venom called solenopsin, a compound from the class of piperidines. For humans, this is a painful sting, a sensation similar to what one feels when burned by fire (hence the name), and the after-effects of the sting can be deadly to sensitive people. Fire ants are more aggressive than most native species, and as such have pushed many native species away from their local habitat.

Fire ants are renowned for their ability to survive extreme conditions. They do not hibernate, but can survive cold conditions, although this can be costly to fire ant populations.

Fire ants nest in the soil, often near moist areas, such as river banks, pond shores, watered lawns, and highway shoulders. Usually, the nest will not be visible, as it will be built under objects such as timber, logs, rocks, or bricks. If no cover for nesting is available, dome-shaped mounds are constructed, but these are usually only found in open spaces, such as fields, parks, and lawns. These mounds can reach heights of 40 cm (16 in), but can be even higher on heavier soils, standing at 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) in height and 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in diameter. Colonies are founded by small groups of queens or single queens. Even if only one queen survives, within a month or so, the colony can expand to thousands of individuals. Some colonies may be polygynous (having multiple queens per nest). Fire ants dig tunnels efficiently using about 30% of the population of the colony, thereby avoiding congestion in tunnels.

Red Ants

In the United States, there are many species of ants that are red in color. Many times people will call ants "red ants" because they do not know the correct name. However, the ant that is most often called the "red ant" is the red imported fire ant. Sometimes it is called by its initials—RIFA. If the red ants in your yard are truly fire ants, it's likely that warm weather and other suitable environmental conditions attracted them to your area. Wide open lawns with plenty of sun exposure typically have problems with these pests. Red imported fire ants may also move into yards as a result of infested nursery plants or grass sod being used in the home’s landscaping. Since red ant colonies often grow large enough to extend across several properties, control and prevention can be challenging.

Red ants make unsightly mounds in yards. These ugly dirt piles lead into their underground colonies and may reach a foot or more in height and width. Red imported fire ants will also attack any perceived threat to their nests. Stings can be painful and leave behind red marks that often become white, pustule-like blisters about one day after the sting. If someone disturbs their nest, ants by the hundreds may suddenly rush to attack the intruder and cause multiple stings and bites. However, only the sting and not the bite involve injecting venom and it is the ant’s venom that causes the typical sting reactions and symptoms. Red imported fire ant envenomation often becomes a very serious medical reaction, especially if the sting victim is hyper-allergic to the venom.

Red Biting Ants

Although commonly referred to as a bite, red ants actually sting, not bite. In fact, red ants will sting humans who disturb a nest. The sting of a red imported fire ant is painful and often results in a raised welt that becomes a white pustule. Often, a person stung by red imported fire ants will receive multiple stings from more than one of the ants. Persons allergic to insect stings will react more severely to red ant “bites.”