Fire Ants in your Home and Schools
Fire Ants in Schools and Homes
Fire ants are small, reddish-brown earthy color with a black stinger. These insects are about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch long. They make mounds from which they can emerge quickly and aggressively when disturbed or stepped on. Fire ants in and around schools and homes may be quite upsetting to students, and Homeowners. Students on playgrounds or athletic fields are most likely the school occupants to encounter fire ants. Your children playing outdoors may stumble in a fire ant mound and not be aware of. While a typical response to a fire ant sting is pain, they will feel a burning or itchy sensation that often results in a skin bump or rash. Less than 1 percent of people stung, can have a more severe allergic or life-threatening response such as anaphylactic shock. Because of these hazards, fire ant management
should be a top priority in and around schools and homes. Fire ants can impact the school and home environment in other ways. Fire ants looking for food in classroom can disrupt the learning environment. They may also find a crack in a home to let themselves in. As temperatures drop in the autumn, fire ants will move their mounds towards hotter areas such as sidewalks, paved areas, curbs and buildings thus are more likely to enter through these crevasses. Electrical equipment, such as ground-installed lighting and heat pump or air conditioning units on concrete can be short circuited by the colonies. Mowing grass with fire ant mounds may dull your cutting blades or otherwise damage lawn mowers.
Pesticide Misconceptions
One of the most common pesticide Misconceptions in and around the Coachella Valley occurs with the application of fire ant control products. Often, untrained school personnel or homeowners apply pesticides without reading their labels. products may also be applied at an incorrect amount and to areas not listed in the instructions, which may increase the likelihood of children coming in contact with these products. The label must be read and followed very carefully. This publication will describe the proper management of fire ants in and around schools and homes. Techniques such as Managing fire ants in and around schools requires knowing the health risk of an ant sting while also risking pesticide exposure. Several effective techniques are available to manage fire ants in and around homes.
Let a Trained Professional handle your fire ant problem, Call Rudy’s Termite and Pest Control today to Schedule your inspection (760)775-6877
