Fire Ants...Whos Got 'em?

SC sawdaddy

I gotta go check a hvac unit that isn't coming on today. Probably a fire ant mound that has made the contacts fail. I hate those little bastards. Got me wondering how far north I'd have to move to get away from them.
I remember the first time I took notice of them down in the lower part of SC. Around '79 or '80. They hadn't migrated up to the upper part of SC yet.
Now they are up into the northern part of NC... maybe farther.
If you have them, you'll know what I'm talking about. Small, red/black, Makes a mound ranging in size from a baseball to a beach ball. Bad a$$ little suckers. Sting the hell out of you.

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HusqyPro

Haven't seen any up here yet. Have plenty of the little black guys that don't make large mounds.

Heard first report of an Africanized honey bee colony this year. Down in Grangeville. That'll be a fun new hazard to deal with as they steadily march north.

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WalkerPest

I live In upstate SC too Sawdaddy and know exactly what your talking about. They are evil little critters that ruin yards and hurt like crazy when they get ya. I like to keep some raised gardens in the back yard and they even get up inside of them. Real pain they are. I was working in garden 2 summers ago and was leaning over with my left hand on ground and working with my right hand. Well after a few seconds I felt a sharp sting and pulled my hand up. It was covered with the fire ants. I shook my hand and got them off but not fast enough they stung me enough times that I had to go to the hospital. Seems as though it caused a pretty bad reaction and I started breaking out in what looked like hives. My blood pressure shot up, my hand swelled up first then my entire arm then started swelling up around my face and neck. As soon as I got to the hospital they took me straight back no waiting. That is rare around here. I knew they were worried when they did that. They gave me 2 shots I believe right away but they were worried with the swelling around my neck that it was going to cut off air flow. Now I'm a big guy at 6' 6" and about 320lbs but after the swelling I looked really huge lol . I am very very careful now when I am working in the yard. Give Bifen a try on your yard its a granular that you throw out. Pretty much burns them up. Use this during fall winter early spring but you may want to switch to a bait like Extinguish for spring and summer months.

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envirocare

I guess we are lucky in Ohio, we dont have that kind of problem....

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Karl the Bug Man
Columbus, Ohio
Bed bugs Columbus Ohio Pest Control

WalkerPest

Hope you don't mind. Didn't want you all to feel left out up there. Went ahead and shipped a couple crates full of dirt loaded with fire ants by truck to you. Should be there in next few days. Have a great summer!
LOL

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