Here in the southland, there’s a bit of an ant problem. If you stand in any state from Florida to the Carolinas and throw a rock, there’s a good chance it lands on an ant hill. So today, we’re going to touch on the various central Florida ants you can expect to run into as a Tampa homeowner.
Why are Central Florida Ants so bad?
Here in Central Florida, the honest truth is we live in human adjacent pest heaven. And the first reason for that is just the climate and makeup of the state. Florida has pristine coastlines with low-lying shrubs growing all over sand dunes. If you go further inland, the elevation increases very slightly and turns into low-lying, woody forests. And interspersed between all of that is plenty of swampland.
Then you have the weather. Bright, sunny, and hot year round. Most insects suffer in the cold. So once they reach Florida’s shores, they forget suffering entirely! Many species of central Florida ants aren’t even from here. In fact, some of the most prolific and dangerous ant species originate in other parts of the world. But the wrong shipping container with the right infestation reaches the Sunshine State, it’s over. They become established extremely quickly here.
And finally, the presence of humans is a big driver for the increase in ant populations. Think of any restaurant you’ve been to recently. And now imagine what the dumpster behind it may look like. And go ahead and add any motel, hotel, or place of business you’ve been to that serves food. I think it’s easy to see how these infestations can become so common after that.
Tampa fire ants – What to know about this invasive species
Alright, to start off let’s get down and dirty with the worst pest ant in Florida. And that is the infamous imported red fire ant. Stepping on a fire ant nest can easily land you in the hospital. But let’s start with their arrival in the United States.
These ants originated in South America and then spread to the United States seventy five years ago. In the nineteen thirties, they arrived in America from Argentina as cargo stowaways on a freighter ship. Since then, they’ve spread rapidly throughout the entire American south. They can be found in Florida, Louisiana, and as far west as Texas and New Mexico. These Central Florida ants come from a highly competitive ecosystem. So when they reached the shores of North America, they found they had no natural enemies and plenty of room to grow and spread. Now they cost the country roughly six billion dollars in control costs, property damage, and medical treatments.
This is an omnivore species that will eat just about anything they can get their jaws around. Carrion, rotten meat, vegetables in your garden, discarded bubble gum. If you name it, there’s a good chance a fire ant can eat it. So when you have them in your home, it doesn’t take much to fuel an infestation.
And this species of ant is highly aggressive. If their mounds or nests are disturbed, they’ll swarm any perceived threat. And once they’re on you, they hold on tight and sting repeatedly until they’re either removed or killed. And it’s never just one, with some people reporting deaths of infants and young children after being swarmed in their homes while sleeping. If you have an infestation of this ant, you need to contact a control specialist immediately.
Central Florida Ants: Other Species
Now let’s touch on a few slightly less dangerous but just as annoying species of ants that may invade your home this year. Starting with…
Ghost Ants
Ghost ants are a species I’ve dealt with before myself. They’re highly adaptable ants that can nest in many places. In fact, in certain homes, multiple nests will be established by the same colony. And these colonies can each contain a queen and thousands of workers. These ants are fond of sweet foods and honeydew, so you’ll often find them invading things like cookie jars.
They get their common name from their tiny size and white coloration. On a sunny day, you may be able to see their shadows before you see them. They’re a tropical species like the fire ants mentioned above and likely originated in either Africa or Asia. They’re found only in tropical areas, like Central and South Florida or Hawaii.
Argentine Ants
These ants are more typical in appearance when you think of ants. They’re small, light brown to dark brown-blackish, but are easily spotted with the eye.
Argentine ants are major household and garden pests in Florida. When searching for food, they leave pheromone trails everywhere they go, instead of just from nest to food source. This habit ensures they never visit the same area twice. Workers from different colonies are cooperative toward each other, allowing them to form large super-colonies. Argentine ant colonies can become so large that they can take over whole city blocks! They are ranked among the most stubborn home-infesting pests, contaminating and spreading bacteria wherever they forage.
Unlike fire ants and ghost ants, they don’t present particular challenges regarding either danger or tricky nesting habits. Instead, it’s the sheer size of their population that’s a real problem. The largest Argentine ant colony known to science is in Italy and actually stretches over three thousand miles in length!
Central Florida Ants – Who to call when you’re infested?
When it comes to infestations of ants of these species, I think you can tell that it’s not something for a layman to try to handle on their own. Florida ants are too numerous, tricky, or plain out dangerous to try and deal with yourself.
Instead, do business with us- Earth’s Best natural pest control. Not only do we use methods that are one hundred percent proven to be effective, but we also use methods that put you, your home, and your family in no danger. Chemical agents, on the other hand, have long been proven to be damaging to human and animal health. So give us a call at 1-800-634-1313 or visit our website, www.insectfree.com, for a free consultation today.
