Do Fire Ants Bite Cows?
Do fire ants bite cows? Absolutely! In fact, they will bite virtually anything that bothers their mounds, including humans, household pets and livestock. The key to controlling red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) is to identify them quickly and take action to minimize the damage they cause. Fire Ant Control, LLC can help.
Today, red fire ants infest hundreds of millions of acres, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) predicts they will eventually make their homes across the southern U.S. from coast to coast, where they already have a major impact on farming activities, from workers in the fields to vulnerable livestock.
Do You Have Fire Ants?
The telltale signs of fire ant colonies are round, flat mounds of loose soil. Fire ants are master architects; they build and live in a vast network of interconnected subterranean tunnels that extend outward and downward up to 25 feet from these central mounds.
Within each colony are workers and queens. Workers build the nests (mounds), take care of the queen and her eggs, scavenge for food, and defend the colony from attackers. Queens can live for two to six years and lay from 1,500 to 5,000 eggs per day, which explains why fire ants multiply so quickly!
Mounds can be found around stumps and trees, in rotting logs and under sidewalks, but many fire ants prefer open areas, such as meadows, pastures, parks, playgrounds, lawns and golf courses, as well as wilderness areas, cultivated fields and agricultural land.
When fire ant mounds are disturbed, hundreds of worker ants will rise up out of the ground and aggressively sting the intruder. They can also cause extensive damage to gardens and crops, cement slabs, air-conditioning equipment, and electrical wires.
How Fire Ants Affect Animals
Animals in pens, cages, and kennels are particularly vulnerable to menacing fire ants. For example, ants routinely attack hatching eggs, baby chicks, and injured fowl, especially those in coops with no means of escape. They are also attracted to many types of animal feed, such as dry dog food and livestock feed.
Red imported fire ants are a significant threat to very young animals, to caged and penned animals, to newborns if they lie down or are born on or near a mound, to weak animals that suffer from wounds or open sores, and those that are old and unable to move out of harm’s way.
Take the Next Step
Fire Ant Control has the best solution to your fire ant problem! We guarantee that our fully licensed and insured service will help rid 85-95% of the fire ants from your property for four months at a time, or we’ll refund your payment. With an application every four months, our treatment will help prevent further fire ant colonization.
To learn more about whether fire ants bite cows and other animals, give Fire Ant Control, LLC a call at (239) 312-8200. From small residential lots to properties with thousands of acres, Fire Ant Control’s 100% guaranteed service is the most effective and affordable fire ant killer.