If you’ve lived in central Florida for any amount of time, you know we have an ant problem. Now, you could probably just say that we have a pest issue in general. But if you have ever been to a park, cow pasture, or open field in the area then you’ll know. We have a massive issue with ants! Especially the notorious fire ant. That’s why today we’ll go over Lakeland ant control, what to look out for, and how to deal with an infestation of these soldier-like pests.
Lakeland Ant Control: Overview
When you look at an adult ant, it’s easy to think that they all look basically the same. However, this species of pest comes in many shapes and sizes. However, they all have a few things in common. In every ant colony, there will be a queen, workers, and males. The queens are what you’d think, fertile females that are the mother of every ant in the colony. Workers are females without wings that gather food, feed the larvae, defend the colony, and maintain the nest. Male ants have wings, and their only job is to mate with the queens during a “swarm.”
All ant nests produce a large number of winged ants for mating swarms. This usually happens in late summer and fall. July through September, usually. A mating swarm consists of females and males that leave the nest at the same time. They mate, and then the females fly off as new queens to find a place to start a nest. After mating, the males die.
Now, let’s get into the kind of ants that will have you needing Lakeland ant control. Starting with the most notorious…
The Red Imported Fire ant
Starting off with the worst of the bunch, we have the red imported fire ant. These guys are invasive, numerous, and hard to get rid of once established. In fact, nearly every home I move into needs treatment regarding these guys at one point or another just because they’ve become so numerous in the Sunshine State.
As you probably know, fire ants prefer warm and sunny areas. That’s why just about every park, dry field, and lawn in Florida has them. Thankfully you won’t find them around many nature trails, as they avoid shady areas like woods and swamps. Fire ant mounds can grow up to two feet in diameter and can contain several hundred thousand ants. This includes at least one clean.
Infested nursery plants and grass sod can also bring fire ants into a home’s landscape. Red ant colonies also grow large enough to extend across many yards in one area, making prevention and control a challenge. And the stings of these things are no joke. They’re called “fire ants” for a reason, with that reason mostly being because of their painful stings. Unlike other ants, fire ants will clamp onto you with their mandible jaws and sting repeatedly. No other species in Florida defends their mounds more veraciously, and the chemical they inject into your body actually attracts other ants to you, essentially marking you as an enemy of the colony.
These stings can even be fatal. People have experienced severe allergic reactions to fire ant venoms, and symptoms include sweating, nausea, and excessive itching. If you experience any of this after a fire ant sting, seek medical help immediately. No other ant requires instant Lakeland ant control like the fire ant!
Ghost ants
While much less dangerous and painful, ghost ants can still be a very annoying issue when they infest your home. These ants are extremely small, and can easily enter a home through openings around doors and windows. Cracks in the foundation of your home, as well as infested plants, can be easy ways for them to get inside. And once there, they feed on sugary sweets. Things like cereal, syrup, and candy are some of their favorite things to eat. You’ll find them on kitchen counters, or in bathrooms around the sink. They also are fantastic nest builders, and will build multiple nests in wall voids, inside, outside, and even in kitchen cabinets!
Because of this, ghost ants usually have multiple nesting sites. New queens mature and leave their original nests, but they don’t usually go too far. Even potted plants that are frequently disturbed, or actively used on bookshelves are suitable for their colonies.
As for signs of an infestation well, if you see the workers in your home, assume there’s a nest. They get their name from their small size and pale color, which makes them difficult to see. They do have dark heads and thoraxes though, which is how you’ll notice them more than likely.
Lakeland Ant Control: What To Do When Infested?
Well, to be honest, ant infestations aren’t easy to control as a layman. Most species of ant that infest in and around the home, like the two discussed above, can have multiple colonies. In fact, fire ant colonies can even have multiple queens.
You can try to go the route of poisons and granules, pouring boiling water, or any other urban legend that is tied to ant control. However, the poisons are a risk. Not only do you threaten other animal species that will either eat the ant poison themselves, such as an overly inquisitive dog or cat, but you also pose a risk to the wildlife. Plenty of snakes and small animals in Florida consume ants. So a poisoned colony can mean a dead animal. Not only that, but ants are rapid breeders. And like any other insect that’s a rabid breeder, improper poison application can quickly lead to resistant generations.
As for things like pouring boiling water or gasoline down ant mounds, or even digging them up, you’ll have mixed results. Fire ant mounds can spread over an entire property and number in the millions if they have multiple queens. So a spot treat might work on that mound alone, but it won’t get rid of them entirely. On top of that, these methods can very easily kill your lawn and plants.
When it comes to multiple-colony ant species and their infestations, leave the hard work to the pros and contact a pest control specialist near you. Especially one that uses natural methods that are both proven to be effective and less dangerous than normal chemical insecticides.