Invasive "super colonies" take control of houses - here is how to protect yours
Rapid-rapid insects cross the South.
There is so much to love about summer: the days are longer and warmer, the school is out and the bearded beards and the swimming pool celebrations are back in session. However, the sunny season also has its just part of points of pain, such as stifling humidity, unexpected rain showers, annoying mosquitoes, buzz , and… invasive ants?
In relation: Giant Burmese pythons from southern Florida "invade" the north .
If you have already met an ant path in or around your house, you know how uphols. Ants are generally active Between March and October , with most observations from the house occurring during the summer months, according to the Dodson antiparasitic control.
"As temperatures increase, ants become more active and begin to seek food. They are also more likely to reproduce during this period, which can lead to an increase in the number of ants in a colony - and an increase Ants visible on your property, "explains the company.
While household ants are more annoying than harmful, the experts issued an alert on a kind of invasive ants that infiltrated the houses throughout Florida.
Originally from Brazil, " Folles Fauves Fourmis "are reddish brown in color and have the reputation of moving" quickly and irregularly ", according to researchers from the University of Florida.
Ants have migrated from Brazil to Colombia in the mid -1900s before heading to the Côte du Texas and Florida. Since then, they have exploited their path in certain parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
Fauaves are not difficult to spot, but they are difficult to kill. Insects travel to herds and build "super colonies", which are mainly districts of connected hills governed by several ants. This colonial community makes ants extremely difficult to exterminate, explains researchers in Florida.
"We had a large infestation In a golf field community, and they actually came from a wooded area near the golf course, " Rudolf Scheffrah , PHD, professor of entomology at the University of Florida, said Click on Orlando . "You can spray the infested area, but it does not kill the colony."
Infestations of fawn ants, especially when they are not treated, can wreak havoc on a house - and sometimes exterminating does not always do the trick. Due to the speed with which these ants can eat and their quantity, certain pest companies do not deal with the root of the problem, said Scheffrah.
"Most antiparasitic wrestling companies just want to deal with the property where they are paid," he said. "And they do not necessarily want to develop beyond that because it is not their mission. Their mission is to make the customer there. So it is a kind of problem on the scale of the region with the control of these things. "
Fortunately, wild flaps are not toxic. They are also "ephemeral", which means, they come to one place. They take over. They disappear, ”according to Scheffrahn.
"They have no bite. Their bite is very, very lame," said Scheffrah. "The real problem is the nuisance once they have entered your property, in your home. Again, they come in massive number - for everything."
In relation: How to get rid of ants in the kitchen .
Scientists at the University of Texas in Austin experiment with different ways of controlling the species of invasive ants. According to Edward Lebrun , a scientific researcher from Texas Invasive Species Research Program at the Brackenridge Field Laboratory, there is a natural fungus called " microsporida "This can help stop the spread.
"This does not mean that crazy ants will disappear," said Lebrun News UT . "It is impossible to predict how long it will take to light up to strike and the pathogen to infect a population of crazy ants. But it is a great relief because it means that these populations seem to have a lifespan. ""
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Florida have some advice and tricks to protect houses from wilderies this summer. They recommend keeping the garbage cans and recycling the trash cans clean and stored away from your home, collecting court debris and following a routine court maintenance calendar (mowing, cutting, etc.).
There are also things that you can do inside your home to avoid infestation, such as cleaning up spills, elimination of dirty dishes and waste accumulation, and the maintenance of well -sealed food. If you have a pet, the researchers suggest storing their food bowls outside of catering hours.
It is preferable to seek a professional antiparasitic control service rather than treating your home or court. Even if you do not currently have an infestation, a professional can recommend bait products or treatments to help keep insects away.