Do Fire Ants Carry Diseases?
Do fire ants carry diseases? If you think they’re harmless, think again! While most of us associate them with their aggressive behavior and painful stings, they can also be carriers of bacterial and fungal organisms that could compromise your health.
Fire Ant Control, LLC can help control an infestation and protect your family, friends, pets and livestock from harm. We provide the most effective and affordable fire ant solution to homes and businesses throughout South Florida, and anywhere else our services are needed.
Outside of calling licensed pest management professionals like Fire Ant Control, there is no foolproof way to kill destructive fire ants. The key to controlling them is to identify them quickly and take action to minimize the damage they cause.
Potentially Harmful Fire Ant Bites/ Stings
Most people are aware of the pain that red fire ants cause when they bite or sting. When their mounds are disturbed, hundreds of ants will swarm out of the ground and aggressively sting an intruder within seconds.
After first biting with their jaws, they inject a toxic venom that produces a burning sensation. If threatened, fire ants sting the intruder multiple times.
The terrible pain will subside, but some people have an allergic reaction to the venom and experience swelling, itching and redness at the sting site. It’s also possible for anaphylactic shock to occur, requiring quick medical attention to prevent a deadly outcome.
Fire ant bites could also be lethal for someone with low blood pressure because the bite causes dilation of blood vessels, further lowering blood pressure.
The ants may also be carriers of bacterial and fungal organisms that could be harmful to your health. While crawling around garbage on your property, they can pick germs like E. Coli or Salmonella and pass them along to you when they bite, leading to health issues such as gastroenteritis.
Fire ants can also be deadly to farm animals, especially newborns and animals that are weak or ill. They also attack and kill bees and beneficial native ant populations.
The Fire Ant Control Solution
Fire Ant Control, LLC is a recognized specialist in controlling red fire ants on any size or type of land. The potent, food-like granular bait we use contains an insect growth regulator that sterilizes the queen and is approved for use around people, pets, livestock, as well as on pastures, hay fields and farmland.
Worker ants eat the bait and carry it down into the colony, causing the fire ants to die naturally. Extermination is not immediate but, once the queen has been sterilized, the entire colony will disappear, and no new ants will be born.
Our service is guaranteed for four months. Because fire ants fly, they will eventually come back. For this reason, we recommend having your property treated three times a year to keep these troublemakers under control.
If you need more information about whether fire ants carry diseases or what can be done about them, give Fire Ant Control, LLC, a call today at (239) 312-8200 to schedule a free consultation.