Fire ants reside in colonies, which often can contain more than 100,000 ants. The average lifespan of a worker fire ant is five months, whereas queens can live up to seven years. In a day, queens can lay thousands of eggs, with fire ants going from larva to adulthood in approximately 30 days. When a colony has a well-fed queen and the colony grows rapidly, queens may leave the colony with worker ants to establish new colonies nearby.
About Fire Ants
Fire ants are aggressive, reddish-brown insects known for their painful stings and ability to form large, invasive colonies. Commonly found in warm southern climates, they build dome-shaped mounds in soil and can quickly overrun lawns, gardens, and even indoor spaces. Fire ants pose a significant threat to humans, pets, and wildlife due to their venomous stings, which can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Their colonies often contain multiple queens, making them difficult to eliminate without professional treatment. Effective fire ant control requires identifying the infestation early and using targeted solutions to destroy the colony at its source.
Treatment
Can I treat fire ants myself?
As noted, fire ants are extremely territorial; they will attack if threatened. Trying to treat a fire ant mound with granular pesticides with a do-it-yourself method not only may be ineffective, but this also puts you in danger of being attacked. If you spot a fire ant mound on your property, the best course of action is to contact a pest control professional who is trained to safely identify, treat and eliminate fire ant colonies.