Getting rid of biting ants in your lawn

Biting ants in the lawn are more than just an annoyance, they can be a significant health risk, especially for children and pets.

Green-head ants

Green ants, or more accurately green-head ants, are a very common lawn ant in Brisbane and south east Queensland. They are quite an aggressive ant and although their sting is quite painful itself, it is the very itchy after effects that annoy most people. However, some people have an allergic reaction to green-head ant bites and a few suffer severe anaphylactic shocks, which require immediate medical attention.

If you have green-head ants in your lawn, you need to get rid of them so you can enjoy your outdoor areas safety.

A professional lawn ant treatment will eliminate green head ants completely within a week or two. AllPro Pest Control use specialised ant baits which we spread over the affected area. Foraging ants take the bait back to the nest where it is fed to all members of the nest, resulting in complete colony control in 1-2 weeks. As green-head ants infestations tend to spread through the neighbourhood, it is always possible that ants may re-invade from the neighbouring properties, but this generally won’t happen for 6-12 months.

Fire ants

Fire ants (red imported fire ants) are an invasive pest. Most people would have seen information in the news recently or received government information leaflets about this damaging ant. A government eradication program is in place, but fire ant nests have been found in a number of suburbs in south east Queensland from the Lockyer Valley, through Brisbane down to the Gold Coast.

If you think you have fire ants on your property, it is important to get them correctly  identified by the government or qualified pest company. If it is confirmed as a fire ant, it needs to be reported to the government and treated accordingly. 

Fire ants have very painful stings, a bit like a bee sting. Often they will “swarm” over an unsuspecting victim when they stand on their nest, delivering multiple bites before they realise what is happening. The bites can leave raised pustules on the skin and become very itchy. And much like bees stings, some people can suffer severe allergic reactions. In the USA, there are quite a few deaths each year from fire ant stings!

Government treatments for fire ants are free and homeowners can do it themselves, providing they follow the correct process. However, for most homeowners and business owners suspecting they have fire ants, the easiest option is to pay for a treatment from qualified pest company such as AllPro Pest Control as this ensures the treatment is carried out quickly and safely. We will ensure correct identification, treatment according to the required protocol and confirm eradication. We will also handle any reporting and paperwork requirements. Of course, it also ensures you don’t get bitten whilst carrying out a treatment!

Find out more about how to treat for fire ants…

Other biting ants

There are some other species of biting ants commonly found in lawns. The most common being the small, fast-moving black tyrant ants. They do provide a little nip, but although it’s not particularly painful, it is certainly annoying and can ruin the pleasure of playing in the yard. AllPro Pest Control can also get rid of such ants through the use of specialised ant baits or sprays.

So reclaim your backyard from biting ants and give the ant specialists at AllPro Pest Control a call!

Learn more about our lawn ant treatments.