Any Georgia resident will agree that the unofficial bugs of a Georgia spring and summer are mosquitoes and fire ants. Both of these insects bite, ruin outdoor entertaining, and seem to be a problem that's too big to control forever. Luckily, there is a simple ant control solution that will not only get rid of any current fire ants in your yard, but will also help safeguard your yard against more fire ants returning. Before you start attacking your yard's fire ants head-on, though, you need to understand a little more about what exactly you are going up against.
Photo by Petr Ganaj
Fire Ants Can Be Spread Across Multiple Mounds
When you spot (or unfortunately walk through) a fire ant mound in your yard, your initial reaction may be to treat that mound heavily with the belief that you've eradicated the ant colony from your yard. The reality is that you've likely taken care of just one of the ant colony's "entrances" to their underground ant empire.
Fire ants build their colonies deep underground and connect them through extensive tunneling. (This video offers a detailed look into what these tunnels look like!) This underground construction allows them to reproduce rapidly without much threat of being exterminated. When you spot one fire ant mound in your yard, you've either caught the fire ants early in their construction, or you just haven't stumbled upon the rest of the colony's ant mounds.
Best Way to Kill Fire Ants
Like many home pest problems, you will find many DIY ant control options available to you at home improvement stores or online. Again, though, unless you are treating every single fire ant mound in your yard, any pest control method you use will not do much more than cause the fire ants to shuffle around your yard or head over to your neighbor's yard.
The best fire ant prevention is a granule called TopChoice. This once-a-year granule is applied to lawn areas, playgrounds, or around pools. The one downside to this pest control granule is that it takes up to 6 weeks to fully activate. Because of the length of time it takes for the granule to become effective, it's recommended that you apply the TopChoice granules in March or April, even if you haven't noticed fire ant activity yet. Like BREDA's mosquito treatment, start treating for fire ants now and you won't have to worry about any issues the rest of the year!
If you're tired of wondering what the pests in or around your home are doing and just want them gone, don't hesitate to give us a call. The BREDA Guarantee promises to protect your home and keep it protected—no matter the circumstances. Schedule an inspection online or give us a call at 770-466-6700.
