Fire Ants Identification Guide

What are fire ants?

Fire ants are small and reddish-brown, red, black, or multi-colored. These ants are incredibly aggressive, and their presence on your property or a neighboring property can cause serious harm. They are not shy and will move onto any property that provides them with their basic needs!

These tiny ants make it impossible to enjoy your outdoor space without the threat of being attacked and stung. Just the act of walking by a nest could elicit an attack by these small but confrontational ants.

Fire ants prefer warm, dry, sunny conditions, which is why they are so successful throughout Texas. Fire ants do their best to avoid densely wooded areas or areas with a lot of shade.

Are fire ants dangerous?

Fire ants are not insects you want to run into with bare feet or legs. These ants have a short fuse and deliver painful bites and stings to protect themselves and their colony from danger. The venom fire ants inject into a person or animal is quite potent. After they bite, white pustules typically form around the bite site. If a person is allergic or has been stung repeatedly, a severe reaction could require medical attention. These tiny terrors are also problematic because they are attracted to farm and electrical equipment, causing damage and short circuits after gathering inside.

Why do I have a fire ant problem?

Worker fire ants travel from the nest each day to forage for food to bring back to the colony. You don't have to have a fire ant nest in your yard to have a problem with these aggressive ants. They will travel from neighboring properties into your yard if it provides them with food. Some of the fire ant's favorite foods include seeds, fruits, sugars, insects, grease, and meats — all things found in our gardens, around bird feeders, in trash cans and recycling bins, and around grill areas. 

Where will I find fire ants?

Fire ants like to build their nesting mounds in soft soil in wide-open sunny areas. The nest's entry points aren't located above ground like many other ants, but rather underground. When there's a threat to the colony, the ants will seemingly swarm out of nowhere and attack! Unlike other ants species, fire ants rarely move into our homes with the intention of nesting, though sometimes they wander inside while foraging for food but don't usually stay very long.

Places you may come across a fire ant nest include:

• Yards

• Parks and fields

• The ground next to trees

• Rotting logs

• Cracks of pavement

• Electrical equipment or farm equipment

How do I get rid of fire ants?

Aggressive and dangerous, fire ants don't belong nesting in our yards or invading our homes. At TNT Home & Commercial Services, we offer a professional solution that will rid your Greater Houston area property of fire ants and stop them from returning. Our focus is customer satisfaction and ensuring our customer's safety. We will work closely with you to eliminate fire ants and other nuisance and dangerous pests from your home or business. If you would like to learn more about our fire ant control solutions, call TNT Home & Commercial Services today. 

How can I prevent fire ants in the future?

More than an inconvenience, pests can be dangerous and cause a lot of damage. In addition to our professional pest control services, use the following tips to keep fire ants out of your yard and home:

• Ensure that door sweeps provide an good seal to keep fire ants and other pests out of your home.

• Repair damaged door or window trim.

• Seal cracks in the foundation of your home.

• Seal spaces around wire and cable entry points.

• Fill in in any bare patches in your yard.

• Ensure all trash and compost bins are placed in containers with tight-fitting lids to prevent fire ants from foraging for food in them.