The state of Georgia is home to some truly spectacular wildlife, from black bears and badgers to elk and whitetail deer. Unfortunately, the state is also home to some less pleasant residents, including fire ants.
Fire ants are every bit as unpleasant as they sound, and if you have an infestation, it is an experience you will not soon forget. If your Georgia home does become a home for fire ants, you need to act quickly to send those unwanted visitors packing.
What You Need to Know
As with any enemy, the more you know about fire ants, the easier it will be to evict them. Fire ants are just one of many ant species in the state of Georgia, so the first step is to know what they look like, and what they can do to your home.
One of the first things you need to know about fire ants is that they are not indigenous to the state of Georgia. That does not mean, however, that these troublesome and destructive pests are not well acclimated to the climate they find here.
Fire ants are originally from South America, and they arrived in the United States on a cargo boat. Since they are native to South America, those original fire ants thrived in the hot climate of Georgia, much to the chagrin of the human residents.
Like other kinds of ants, fire ants live in colonies – very large ones at that.
Large Colonies
A colony of fire ants can contain as many as 200,000 individuals, each one capable of destruction and each one posing a real danger to Georgia homeowners. If you suspect you have fire ants, it is important to have your home professionally inspected. Some homeowners try the DIY approach to fire ant eradication, but failing to take out the entire colony just means the problem will reoccur.
Fire ant colonies are hierarchical in nature, and they are meticulously organized. The fire ant colony consists of a single queen, the overseer who controls the colony and its behavior. The colony also includes female worker ants, whose job it is to lay the eggs and keep the colony going. That structure means that it is very important to make sure the entire colony is eradicated.
Underground Tunnels
Fire ant colonies also include plenty of individual worker ants. Their job is to create complex networks of underground tunnels, structures that can reach 25 feet in length. That is bad news for homeowners whose houses sit atop those elaborate tunnel structures, and one more reason to send those ants packing as soon as possible.
If you are worried that fire ants have taken up residence in your home, it is time to call a pest control professional. These pets will not go away on their own, and the sheer size of their colonies makes professional eradication an absolute necessity.