WHY YOU CAN'T GET RID OF FIRE ANTS IN AIKEN ON YOUR OWN

There are some obvious reasons why you shouldn't attempt to get rid of fire ants in Aiken on your own. A mature fire ant colony can have as many as 400,000 workers. The nests they create can be deeper than ten feet in the ground. There can be more than one queen in a fire ant colony, and this can lead to budding. Most of all, when you don't properly deal with fire ants, they can still present a threat to your pets, your kids, and everyone who visits your property. Let's take a closer look.

Lots Of Ants Are A Problem

You may get advice from the internet that says, "Treat fire ant mounds in the morning and evening when fire ants are actively foraging." The idea is that the ants will come in contact with the spray when they return to their mounds. This is highly unlikely. All of the ants aren't going to leave the nests. If every fire ant were to exit the colony and search for food in the morning or evening, it would be a terrifying event. Those little, stinging pests would be all over your yard. Fortunately, only a small number come to the surface to search for food sources. The downside is that spraying your yard or spraying mounds will not eliminate all the ants of a colony. Period.

Deep Nests

You might get advice from the internet that says to put something into the entrance of a fire ant mound. We've heard all kinds of crazy ideas, like instant grits, baking soda, vinegar, molasses, Plaster of Paris mixed with aspartame, club soda, and more. When these don't work, some homeowners are driven to pour something more dangerous into the mounds, like gasoline. Please don't ever do this. Not only is it extremely dangerous, it isn't going to work.

Budding

Are you familiar with this term? Budding is a process by which a colony splits into two or more colonies. There are a few reasons why budding may occur. One of them is in response to a threat. If the queens of a fire ant colony believe the colony is in danger, the colony can split. So the last thing you want to do is apply a pest control product that fails to completely eliminate the colony you're attempting to treat. It can result in a worse problem than you had before.

Baiting

How do you deal with an ant colony that can have 400,000 workers, tunnels that run more than ten feet into the ground, and multiple queens? The secret is bait. Unfortunately, it isn't a simple solution to implement. You need to make sure that the ants you're attempting to control are red imported fire ants. You need to use the right bait to make sure it is taken. You need to apply the bait in the right locations. You need to monitor the progress of your treatments to ensure complete elimination. This process should be performed by a licensed and experienced pest control professional.

How Aiken Can Help

At Aiken Pest Control, we don't just help homeowners get rid of fire ant problems; we monitor for fire ant activity and provide treatments to control fire ants within ten feet of structures. This is ongoing protection that keeps fire ants from getting into your home and presenting a threat to your family. It is protection you don't have to think about. You won't have to spread anything on your lawn or hunt down fire ant trails on your property. You won't have to deal with the frustration of throwing away your hard-earned money on products that aren't working. We'll make sure you get the results you want.

If you live in Aiken or the surrounding region, reach out today and ask us how our year-round pest protection plan can help you get control of fire ants around your Aiken home, and keep control of those ants all year long. We look forward to assisting you with this important protection for your pets, your kids, and everyone who lives in your home. 

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