Columbia, NC's Most Commonly Asked Fire Ant Questions, Answered

Do Fire Ants Infest Homes In Columbia?

This is a great question to ask. There are some ants that will stay in your yard. Some think that fire ants are one of them, but they aren't. Fire ants can enter a home when they are given an easy entry point, or when conditions outside become unfavorable. When they do, they'll bring material in with them. If they come in through a foundation crack, you may see soil piled up on the inside. If they get into a wall or floor void, this material will be hidden.

What Happens If You Get Bitten By A Fire Ant?

We often say that we have fire ant bites, or that we've been bitten by a fire ant, but fire ants don't create those tiny red wounds by biting us. While they do bite, they only bite to hold on. It is the stinger on the tip of the ants abdomen that inflicts the wound. This stinger injects venom, and venom can produce an allergic reaction. What is more important to understand about insect venom allergy is that it can appear later in life. You can be stung by fire ants several times with no incidence, but have a reaction later in life. Be on the lookout for the symptoms of an allergic reaction. If you experience swelling in your throat or tongue, trouble breathing, dizziness, confusion, stomach cramps, diarrhea, or nausea, seek medical attention immediately.

Can A Fire Ant Kill You?

There is a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. Some of the symptoms we listed above are associated with anaphylaxis. This can lead to a loss of consciousness, shock, coma, and even death. But it is rare to die from fire ant bites. There are reported cases of some who have survived shock and coma from a fire ant reaction.

How Do You Know If You Have Fire Ants?

The most obvious way is to be stung. The second is the appearance of mounds. Fire ant mounds look different from the mounds of most other ants. They don't have an obvious entry or a volcano look to them. You may also recognize them by their red coloration.

Will Dish Soap Kill Fire Ants?

Yes and no. While you can kill fire ants by pouring soapy water on them, you're going to have little or no success killing a fire ant colony with soapy water. The solution breaks down the exoskeleton of the ants that are soaked by it. But it is difficult to get soapy water deep enough to strike at the heart of a colony. On top of this, the ant queens can produce more than a thousand offspring a day.

Does Vinegar Kill Fire Ants?

Yes and no. Vinegar is even worse than soapy water. While it acts as a desiccant, and can dry fire ant workers out and kill them, vinegar and water solutions become inert once they dry.