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Fire Ants In Florida

Description

  • Two Nodes 1/16 to 1/4 inch long.

  • Color ranges from reddish-brown with a darker abdomen to yellowish-red with a black abdomen to solid black depending on the species.

  • Many worker sizes. Any ant trail of red & brown ants with various sizes are likely fire ants.

  • They aggressively sting and some people are allergic to their stings.

Some Key Biology aspects of the Fire Ant

  • There are three species: The most important of them and are prevalent in Florida are the imported fire ant. This ant is dominant in the south from North Carolina to Texas and has isolated infestations in California. Another notable fire ant is the southern fire ant and it occurs in the same ranges as the imported fire ant but is primary in California and southern Arizona. Last but not least is the tropical fire ant is found in Hawaii.

  • Fire ants build distinctive dome-shaped mounds ranging 12 to 24 inches above the ground and they can range from a few inches to several feet deep.

  • During dry periods fire ants retreat underground and are hard to notice.

  • During heavy rainfall mounds can appear literally overnight.

  • Mounds can sometimes be hard to see being hidden under leaf litter or sod and thick vegetation.

  • Imported fire ants have been known to nest on the rooftops of commercial structures and invade the floors below.

  • An average colony contains 100,000 to 500,000 worker ants, but a single queen is usually the rule, but in recent years there have been nests found with multiple queens and becoming more common.

  • Fire ants will feed on items such as insects, honeydew, plant nectar, seeds, fruit and animal carcasses.

  • Fire ants forage in distinct trails through lawns and on pavement and foundations of buildings.

Colonies are mobile, colonies move the nest usually every few months and on occasions will relocate into a structure.

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Bug Off Pest provides top-quality pest control exterminating services for both residential and commercial clients in Port Charlotte. We’re insured, licensed, and able to provide you with a completely customized service plan that will fit any of your needs – from bed bugs to ants, Termites and more. Our goal is to get rid of pests for good. We’re Always here for you! Our customers can always enjoy free unlimited callbacks to insure we eliminate any pest issues you may be facing in your home or business.

pest control Punta Gorda, FL

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Beetle control and identification is crucial in subtropical climate. Port Charlotte and Southwest Florida have a lot of soft and hardwoods for these guy to infest and the last thing you need is to have these eating your home or business. Many times they are overlooked or not properly identified. Most people don't think about these pests, it is generally the termite that steals the spotlight. Here at Bug Off Pest we focus our efforts and consider all options when identifying pests in your structure. Beetles not only infest wood, they can also be found in Food/Dry-Goods, in the form of pantry pests.

Tropical smoothe-headed

These termites can be found in the peninsular Florida nesting forgaging inside dry woods but they are uncommon in structures. They are a whitish tan and small in size this termite swarms year around but more specifically in the springtime evenings. Tropical termites have a smooth, brown, rectangular head with black mandibles along with a large cavity in the front of the head.

Drywood termite (Calcaritermes nearctius)

Yet another non structural threatening drywood termite found in central to northern Florida, southeastern Georgia nesting and foraging inside of dry woods they are light brown in color and small in appearance swarming from March to May.

Dark southern drywood termite


This termite can be found in central, western and northern Florida nesting, foraging in drywood but rare in structures they have a light cream to yellowish color and are small in size with a rectangular head and strong black mandibles. these termites swarm from September to November during the daytime