Top 9 Fire Ant Facts That People Don’t Know About

2. Fire Ants Can Have One Or More Queens

Bees have one queen in their hive and termites prefer to have one as well. But fire ants can have one or more queen in their colonies. The queen fire ants are known to increase the colonies’ population as they are the only ones who reproduce. Because of the queen’s presence, the colonies can swell which can be home to thousands or millions of fire ants in a property. 

On the other hand, a colony typically consists of queen ants which can live for seven years and are larger compared to others. They only live to increase their numbers, and they can lay up to 1,600 eggs in a day. If there is more than one queen in colonies, you can expect that more eggs will be produced, and within a month the population can be doubled. Worker ants are also part of the colony, and there can be thousands of them, but they have a shorter lifespan as they can live only up to six months. But, if you don’t want to increase their population, better let a pest exterminator in Statesville handle them.

3. Fire Ants Have Wings

Have you seen some ants flying around your property and might have mistaken them for another pest? Well, fire ants have wings - but only the male ones and the virgin queen ants. As we all know, the queen fire ants will give birth to thousands of eggs every day, but if the queen ant has still her wings, it means that she is still a virgin. The virgin queen ant will fly around to look for a mating partner. Once she has mated for the first time, her wings will be ripped off. Another one you will see flying around are the male drones. They also have wings to look for the queen ant with which they can mate. When they are done mating with the queen, they eventually die since their only purpose is to mate with their counterpart. If you don’t want to see flying fire ants everywhere, you might as well eliminate them by allowing a pest exterminator in Statesville to do the work.

4. Fire Ants Give Painful Bites

Getting bit by fire ants is one of the things you wouldn’t want to experience in life since the bite is indeed painful. According to a pest control company in Statesville, there are still no proven studies that a fire ant’s bite is poisonous, but it can also be one of the reasons for the cause of death of some. People who are allergic to fire ant bites are in danger because it causes a severe allergic reaction to the body which can affect your throat, can lead to suffocation, and eventually to death. If you are bitten, the sting and swelling will only last for days. But, if you experience vomiting, dizziness, perplexity, and panting, you are allergic to fire ant bites and need to seek a doctor. If you don’t want to put you and your family at risk, a pest exterminator in Statesville is all you need.

5. Fire Ants Don’t Only Like Sweet Food

Everyone is aware that ants are into sweet and sugary food, but fire ants don’t only eat sweet ones, they also feast on foods with high fat. They will look for sugary food, but they will also eat insects, dead animals, seeds, plant nectar, and more. As long as it has a high-fat level, fire ants will never hesitate to eat it. If you don’t want your food to be the target of fire ants, better store it or let a pest exterminator in Statesville get rid of them once and for all.

6. Fire Ants Can Survive Floods

Whenever you see fire ants, one of the measures you will do which you think will kill them is to drown them. However, fire ants can survive the water because they have a way to prevent their colony from drowning. They will form a ball with the whole colony and will go within the flood’s flow. In this way, everyone is given a chance to breathe and prevent them from drowning and dying. Don’t wait for those fire ants to survive the water because they can cause severe infestation, so better get rid of them by calling a pest control company in Statesville.

7. Fire Ants Love Electrical Currents

Aside from rodents, fire ants are also interested in electrical currents, and they can be the reason behind the damages you see on the lines. They will chew on wires which can lead to short circuits, or worse, fire accidents. Even though they have helped in balancing the ecosystem, fire ants can still cause dangers as they will target electrical wires. To prevent any fire hazard in your house, let a pest exterminator in Statesville get rid of them to keep your house safe.

8. Fire Ants Sleep

Just like humans, fire ants also need some rest, and they sleep for almost 9 hours per day. Compared to termites which are too focused on working and chewing wood, fire ants tend to sleep. If you think ants don’t sleep, you got it wrong because they too need some time to rest. But, if their infestation is too severe, don’t sleep on it, instead make a move by calling a pest control company in Statesville.

9. Fire Ants Saved A Life

Everybody knows the danger fire ants can bring but did you know that this pest has saved a life once? Yes! Fire ants have helped in keeping Joan Murray’s heart beating due to the shocks she received from the pests' bites. The diver was able to survive the fall when she received 200 shocks from fire ants.

That’s it! These are the nine facts which people don’t know about fire ants. These ants are dangerous because their venom can cause allergic reactions, but still, they are friendly to the environment. If you have fire ants at home, eliminate them by calling a pest exterminator in Statesville, NC to help you.

Professional Pest Control Company

When fire ants and other pests are the problems, you need to call a pest control company in Statesville, and that’s Lake Norman Home Services. Lake Norman Home Services offers high-quality pest control services which are effective in eliminating fire ants and several pests found in your home. The company is aware of the risks that fire ants bring; that’s why they will instantly come to you and perform the proper solution to drive away the pests.

From inspection down to treatment application, rest assured that all is done with safety to secure you and your family. They make sure that the products used are human and pet-friendly. Whether you have fire ants or other pests in your home, you can always trust Lake Norman Home Services at all times.

Call (980) 577-6040 and they will instantly heed to your pest control needs! Call now!