Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Tell the Difference Between Fire Ants & Regular Ants
How to Tell the Difference Between Fire Ants & Regular Ants. Fire ants look like any typical ant seen crawling in a yard throughout the United States. However, fire ants are not like the traditional ant. These ants are aggressive. They are common throughout the southern U.S., although they have been known to travel as far north as Maryland. Knowing...
Fire ants look like any typical ant seen crawling in a yard throughout the United States. However, fire ants are not like the traditional ant. These ants are aggressive. They are common throughout the southern U.S., although they have been known to travel as far north as Maryland. Knowing how to identify fire ants is important, because some people can have a fatal reaction to a fire ant bite.
Things You'll Need
Jar or paper
Magnifying glass
Capture a suspected fire ant in a jar or place one on a piece of paper. Observe the ant closely. A fire ant has a dark, reddish-brown color on most of its body and head. However, the abdomen appears darker in color. Although the size of regular ants varies by species, fire ants are generally about one-sixteenth to one-fifth of an inch long.
Search the yard for an ant hill or mound. Unlike regular ants, which typically build low-lying nests, fire ants have mounds as high as 15 inches. The mounds are also often 15 inches in diameter and can go as deep as five feet into the ground.
Watch the ants' behavior. Fire ants become aggressive if the mound or nest is disturbed. Regular ants do not normally act as aggressively.
Check arms and legs for any ant bites. A bite from a fire ant can be painful and grow into a small welt.
Tips & Warnings
Fire ants tend to build nests from soil either near a foundation of a building or in heavily landscaped areas.
Prevent fire ants and other insects by removing standing water on a property. Trim trees and plants so they are not near the house.
Do not keep firewood or building materials near a house or other building. These attract insects, including fire ants.
