Fire Ants in New Braunfels, TX
Fire ant mounds taking over the yard? See our fire ant treatment or call 830-777-CAMO (2266).
Red imported fire ants are the most common stinging ant in Central Texas. They arrived in the United States from South America in the 1930s and now cover most of the state, including New Braunfels and the Hill Country. This page covers how to identify fire ants and their mounds, what to do if you are stung, and how they differ from native Texas ants.
What Fire Ants Look Like
Fire ants are small, reddish brown ants, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, with a darker abdomen. Unlike most ants, a single fire ant mound holds workers of many different sizes. The easiest way to confirm them is the mound itself and how fast the ants pour out when it is disturbed.
Fire ant mounds are domes of loose, fluffy soil that can reach over a foot tall, with no opening on top. The ants come and go through underground tunnels. Mounds show up in sunny lawns, flower beds, along slabs, sidewalks, and driveways, and often appear overnight after a rain.
Fire Ants vs Native Ants
Fire ant mounds have no opening on top and the ants swarm aggressively when disturbed. Native Texas ants, like red harvester ants, usually build flat cleared areas or craters with a visible center entrance and are far less aggressive.
| Red Imported Fire Ants | Native Ants (such as harvester ants) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mound | Fluffy, crusty dome of loose soil with no opening on top | Flat cleared circle or small crater with an obvious center entrance |
| Size | Mixed sizes, 1/8 to 1/4 inch, in the same mound | More uniform workers; harvester ants are larger, 1/4 to 1/2 inch |
| When disturbed | Hundreds swarm out within seconds and climb up to sting | Slower to react, fewer defenders |
| Sting | Burning sting that forms a white pustule within about a day | Can be painful (harvester ants) but no pustule |
| Mounds per yard | Often many, since Texas colonies commonly have multiple queens | Usually few and widely spaced |
| Wildlife | Push out native ants, a key food for Texas horned lizards | Harvester ants are the main food of Texas horned lizards |
What to Do If You Are Stung by Fire Ants
Brush the ants off quickly, wash the area with soap and water, and use a cold compress to reduce swelling. A white pustule usually forms within about a day. Leave it alone, because breaking it open can lead to infection.
Call 911 or seek emergency care if someone has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness, or hives spreading beyond the sting area. These are signs of a serious allergic reaction.
Why Fire Ants Show Up After Rain
Heavy rain floods fire ant tunnels, so colonies move up and rebuild mounds at the surface, often in new spots. During floods, fire ants can link together into floating rafts. That is why yards often look worse right after a storm, even if the ants were there all along.
Fire Ants in AC Units and Electrical Boxes
Fire ants are drawn to electrical equipment and often nest inside AC units, pool pumps, well pumps, and utility boxes, where they can short out contacts and switches. If you find ants inside equipment, have them treated before they cause a repair bill.
How to Get Rid of Fire Ants
Treating one mound at a time usually just moves the colony a few feet, and Texas fire ant colonies often have multiple queens spread across the yard. Lasting control comes from treating the whole property so foraging ants carry the treatment back to every queen.
Camo Pest Control provides professional, yard-wide fire ant treatment across New Braunfels and the surrounding area. For other ants, see our ant control and carpenter ant pages.
Ready to take your yard back? Call 830-777-CAMO (2266) to schedule fire ant treatment.
Areas We Serve
Looking for dependable pest control near you? Camo Pest Control serves homes and businesses across New Braunfels and nearby cities with fast response times and customized treatment plans. View the areas we currently serve below, and contact us if you don’t see your location listed.
- New Braunfels
- Canyon Lake
- Garden Ridge
- Gruene
- Buda
- Bulverde
- Cibolo
- Kyle
- La Vernia
- Spring Branch
- McQueeney
- San Antonio
- San Marcos
- Schertz
- Seguin
Fire Ant FAQs
Fire ants are reddish brown ants 1/8 to 1/4 inch long with a darker abdomen. A single mound contains workers of several different sizes, which sets them apart from most native ants.
Fire ant mounds are domes of loose, fluffy soil with no opening on top. Most native ant mounds, including red harvester ant mounds, have a visible entrance hole in the center.
Wash the area with soap and water, apply a cold compress, and do not break the white pustule that forms. Seek emergency care right away if there is trouble breathing, facial swelling, or hives spreading across the body.
Yes. Dogs, cats, and young animals can be stung many times if they lie on or dig into a mound. Watch for limping, licking at paws, or swelling, and call your veterinarian for any signs of an allergic reaction.
Mound treatments usually kill only part of the colony, and many Texas colonies have more than one queen. The surviving ants rebuild nearby. Yard-wide treatment that reaches the queens is what stops the cycle.
The most reliable approach is a yard-wide treatment that foraging ants carry back to the colony, followed by seasonal follow-up. Learn more about our fire ant treatment service.