Fire Ant Control in Surrey BC
Fire Ant Control In Surrey
Fire Ants are a common nuisance during the spring and summer months. These pesky and invasive insects reek havoc on lawns throughout Greater Vancouver. Westside Pest Control Ltd uses a systematic and effective approach to rid of the fire ants so the kids can play soccer again and you can put a chair back on the grass… and relax…
Identification
Our expert technicians identify and mark on the surface all fire ant nest locations, without breaking the soil and disturbing the nests
Safe Grass For Kids To Play
The treatments are precisely targeted the products we use are safe. Your grassy areas will be free from Fire Ants and your children can safely get back to playing in peace – as peaceful as kids can be anyway!
Removal Of Nests
Surface level treatments or baits applications are never good enough to eradicate European Fire Ants. Our Technicians will dig deep to remove and treat all affected soil.
Fire Ant Treatment
How We Safely Treat Your Grass For Fire Ants
Our Fire Ant Treatments are cost effective and minimally invasive to the property. Our technicians do not disturb any more grass or garden than is absolutely necessary. We begin our treatments with finding the exact fire ant nest locations, even deep in the soil. Then, using an organic insect monitor in a tight grid pattern across the entire property, nest sites are located and marked.
Technicians unearth a fire ant nest on a Vancouver Property
Westside Pest Control Technicians Treating A Nest
Fire Ant nests are often deep within the soil but without a visible mound, so traditional surface treatments will not kill them off. Surface treatments can have the opposite effect on fire ants. If these smart insects sense that they are threatened, they may go into reproductive overdrive and/or move the nest to another location on the property. In the case of fire ants, home remedies will not help. Professional treatments are absolutely required from the start.
After Westside Pest Control Ltd. has completed fire ant control services, the kids can play soccer again and you can take back control of your garden.
Need an effective approach to get rid these pesky and invasive insects?
Call us today on 604-559-9060.
Technician Discovers A Fire Ant Nest
Managing Fire Ants In Surrey
How Do You Identify Fire Ants
How To Prevent European Fire Ants
European fire ants are best prevented by using vigilance when landscaping and gardening. Turn over rocks and stones frequently. European fire ants are nearly impossible to prevent as their colonies spread quickly from one property to the next. One of the best defenses is to avoid bringing in any unknown soil without having it properly inspected first. Previously, some well known garden centers and landscape companies unknowingly sold many people a lot of contaminated soil which spread European fire ants to many parts of Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas very quickly. Again, it is imperative to do research before purchasing fill or soil.
Inspections are one of the best methods to prevent fire ants. Westside Pest Control has a proven method of pinpointing fire ant colonies on an entire property without breaking any soil.
Fire Ant Fact:
European Fire Ants, or myrmica rubra, are starting to become a major issue for Surrey home owners. Removal of soil from the property is not a permitted or effective means of eradication. In most cases a residential property will contain 20-30 nests with multiple queens and also likely that the fire ants are invading neighbouring properties as well. Communication with neighbours is paramount to increase the chances of successful eradication.
A Brief History Of Fire Ants
Colonies of the European fire ant typically have more than one queen, a trait which is common in many ant species in different environments. New virgin queens (winged or non-winged) and males (winged) are produced in the nest in late June.
Most ants reproduce via nuptial flights but this appears to be rare for this species in North America. This is very fortunate in that this limits their ability to quickly spread widely. Rather, mating occurs likely in or close to the nest and the fertlized queens, which quickly lose their wings, are adopted by their home or nearby colony.
As colony numbers grow, queens walk away from the colony with a group of workers and establish new nests in the vicinity of the original nest. They do not seem to travel far, creating high densities of nests (up to 4 per sq. metre). In this manner the colony expands and monopolizes the resources of the local area, excluding competing species of ants.
mature colonies contain approximately 1000 workers with queens reported to lay 200-300 eggs per year
The European fire ant attacking an earthworm.
Image courtesy of R. Higgins
The Fire Ant prefers moist sites making tall grass, low shrubby areas, and ground under rocks, wood or yard clutter ideal. Rocks and wood in particular gain heat through the day and disperse that heat at night keeping nests warm 24 hrs a day.
They are also commonly found in the loose soil of root wads, making plant transplants the most likely method of distributing the ant across landscapes. Given the high densities these ants achieve once established, the probability of their being transported with soil or plants taken out of an infested area is very high.
This ant has a strong preference for sugars and can be found quickly recruiting to discarded fruit. (they love apples) These ants are also common in trees where they tend aphids for their honeydew (apparently more so than in their native European range). This leads to the recommendation of sugar based Borax baits in control.
Westside Pest Control Does Fire Ant Exterminations!
Fighting Fire Ants In Surrey
European Fire Ants or myrmica rubra, are about an 8th of an inch in length and orange-red in colour. They usually build their nests in-ground or under rocks and stones, and if disturbed will become very defensive. Their sting is quite painful and will hurt for some time after the initial bite, similar to a wasp sting. Fire ants get their name from their aggressive behavior and bites: if you disturb a nest and get too close without realizing it, the multiple bites will feel as though your skin is on fire! These are no insect to mess around with. Don’t let fire ant numbers grow on your property. Call in a professional who can inspect your property, pinpoint the exact nest locations and perform targeted treatments.
Fire Ant Nest
Our Surrey Fire Ant Exterminators Hard At Work
We Can Help With Fire Ant Control
If you suspect you might have Fire Ants in your yard, call us immediately! It’s important to catch them early and remove a nest before a colony grows out of control. Get in touch with us today by submitting our contact form and we’ll call you right back to book your appointment
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Technician Tip
Need Help With Fire Ant Control In The Surrey Area?
After a few simple questions, free estimates can be given over the phone for Fire Ant Treatments in
Surrey and the rest of the Lower Mainland. Call the Surrey Fire Ant Control experts
now at 604-498-0225 or contact Westside Pest Control by email.