How to get rid of fire ants

Finding fire ants in a house is not just a nuisance and annoying, but these aggressive insects are also known for their painful sting which is often associated with burning and itching sensations to human skins.

Regardless of whether you've ever been attacked by fire ants or not, we would highly recommend you to not opt do-it-yourself solutions to get rid of fire ants at home. It is because getting rid of fire ants is a difficult and challenging task you can do by yourself, especially if you just rely on using some popular natural remedies for ants you find online.

Rentokil Indonesia specialists can help you with fire ants you might have around your home or business. Contact us online or alternatively you can fill out the quick form below to find out how we can help you get rid of fire ants and prevent them from coming back.

How do you know if you have fire ants?

There are a few things you can consider to ensure that the ant problem you have at home is coming from fire ant. This can be done by looking at some few factors including:

• What do fire ants look like?
• Where do fire ants come from?
• What are the signs of fire ant infestation?

What do fire ants look like?

Fire ants are easily recognizable by their appearance due to their features that differ from other ants species, mainly because:

• They have a very distinctive two-segment antennal club, which is most visible in the front view of the female reproductive ant, and
• Two petiole nodes visible between thorax and abdomen

Although people usually associate fire ants with red colour, in fact, fire ants can also be brown or black in colouration. The size of a worker fire ant can range from 2 mm - 6 mm, with a visible stinger.

Fire ant stings can produce intense pain and itching. For some people with allergies to fire ants venom, a single ant sting can lead to anaphylaxis in just minutes.

Where do fire ants come from?

Fire ants prefer to live in outside areas to stay away from people and other disturbances inside the home.

Although rare, fire ants can also enter into your home in their search of food, water, and shelter, especially during the extreme outdoor heat, drought season, and/or flooding rains. They will enter your home through the tiniest gaps, cracks, and crevices.

What are the signs of fire ant infestation?

One of the most obvious signs of a fire ant infestation is the presence of their large mound located in a large area like a yard or lawn that appears like a hill made of loose sands or dirt. Fire ant mounds can be as high as 18 cm, depending on the age and size of the colony, type of soil and location. Unlike some other common ants, fire ant mounds don't have any openings in the shape of holes in the centre top.

Do not try to get rid of ants in the house yourself - especially by threatening their mounds because this will only trigger hundreds of aggressive fire ants to swarm out from the mound and attack you.

No one wants to find a fire ant mound in their yard, besides being unsightly, fire ant mound could also pose a safety risk to your family members and pet. We strongly recommend you to call on the help of a professional to get rid of the fire ants infestation safely in your home.

What attracts fire ants in your house?

Fire ants are known to be more aggressive and dangerous in comparison with other ant species you commonly see crawling inside and around the house, such as sugar ants or black house ants.

Before you have to deal with them at home, learn more about a few things that turn out to be some attractants to fire ants come to your house.

Here are some key things that make fire ants attracted to your house:

• Sweet and greasy food – Fire ants always forage for food. These ants species are known to be omnivorous and prefer to feed on sweets substances, greasy food, and dead insects.
• Holes in exterior walls – Fire ants are fairly small, and certainly, it's not a big deal for these tiny ants to get inside your house through small holes in exterior walls. Even holes in the walls from utility cables can create enough space for fire ants to get through.
• Moisture sources – Fire ants don't always need soil for suitable nesting sites, but they need a certain amount of moisture in order to survive. When searching for a source of moisture in your home, fire ants can go to places that are often humid like the roof of a house or wall cavity.
• Dirty laundry – Fire ants are attracted to any kind that has sweat on it, and this is why many fire ants are sometimes found foraging close to the laundry basket containing lots of sweaty clothes.

How to prevent fire ants in the house?

Referring to several factors what attracts fire ants above, here are some preventative measures you can do to keep fire ants away from your house:

1. Make sure to clean the counter and floor from spills or crumbs.
2. Store food in tightly sealed containers.
3. Ensure that your bins are covered or even sealed before these scavengers easily find the delicious meal around your house.
4. Restrict the access for fire ants to find the access to enter your home by sealing all the holes in exterior walls using silicone caulk, putty, glue or plaster.
5. Check all of your faucets for any leaks or drips and repair them before fire ants can detect the moisture presence from there.
6. Treat your dirty laundry diligently, especially for the clothes you wear after exercising.

How to get rid of fire ants in the house?

Rentokil Indonesia is the best fire ant pest control company in the country and is your best bet to eliminate an infestation with an effective long-term treatment.

• Our fire ant specialist will conduct an inspection at your property to ensure if the ants that are inside your home or in your yard are fire ants.
• We know the right equipment and protection gear to use for how to get rid of fire ants.
• Rentokil uses the latest methods of treatment to remove the fire ants before they get out of your control.
• After treatment, our fire ant specialist will give expert advice and recommendations to prevent them from returning.

Fire ant pest control near me

The distinctive climate of a tropical country with warm conditions throughout the year triggers the thrive of the fire ant colonies in all cities in Indonesia.

Luckily, there are more than 20 branches of Rentokil Pest Control in Indonesia that are ready to help you solve the ant problem at the property. Our licensed specialists have the knowledge and expertise to get rid of fire ants and prevent them from returning.

If you're experiencing a problem with fire ants on your property, give contact us online to schedule a free survey today.