(NAPSA)—Imported red fire ants overrun the majority of Southern United States, from Texas and Oklahoma to Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Each year, they expand farther north. Nearly 40 percent of people in fire ant-infested areas get stung each year, according to the United States Department ofAgriculture. Fire ants are extremely territorial insects and horde in clusters to protect their mounds, queens and their territories. On average, a fire ant colony hosts up to 100,000 worker ants and a queen. Whenfire ants are disturbed, they inflict a painful bite and sting, which causes a small blister or pustule on the skin, which can appear up to 24 to 48 hourslater. Be Prepared The following first-aid guide- Fire ants can be both a nuisance and a danger. Preventing these pests is your best defense. common approachesfor effectively preventing fire ants. For large yards and early-season prevention, use a broadcast treatment to treat the entire yard. For smaller areas, where visible mounds are present, use a mound treatment directly around individual lines can help if you or a family memberis attacked: * Seek medical attention mounds. For the most comprehensive control, especially in the case of severe infestation, experts recom- severe swelling, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, both broadcast and mound treatments. With a Two-Step Method, first use a broadcast spreader to treat your entire lawn with Over ’n Out Fire Ant Killer or AMDRO FireStrike. Then, treat particu- immediately if there are signs of an allergic reaction. They include headaches and sweating. e If blisters occur, make sure they are clean and avoid any action that might further irritate the area. e Rinse the sting area with cold water and gentle soap to avoid infection. Elevate the affected area of the body and use a cool compress or ice to reduce swelling andalleviate pain anditching. If your pet is attacked, quickly remove the animal from the infested area and wipe off the fire ants, using a glove or brush. Be careful not to spray your pet with water, as this only aggravatesfire ants, causing them to bite and then sting repeatedly. Pets also mend a Two-Step Method using larly stubborn mounds you see with AMDRO Fire Ant Bait to eliminatefire ant activity in aslittle as one week. Used together, these treatments provide season- long control. “Eliminating ants, particularly on individual properties, can be frustrating because colonies from neighboring untreated properties can quickly reinvade areas cleared of ants,” says Bart Drees, professor of entomology, extension specialist, and Regents Fellow department of entomology at so watch for unusual behavior. Texas A&M University. “Working with your neighbors to treat larger areas—such as city Remember, fire ants are most active in the spring. There are two reducing reinvasion of these larger treated areas.” can suffer from allergic reactions, Preventing Fire Ant Infestation blocks—improves control by
