Sachse, TX · Fire ants
Fire ant mounds popping up after rain
Loose, crumbly mounds of soil that rise across the lawn, along the sidewalk or in flowerbeds a day or two after rain are almost always red imported fire ants. The colonies were already there; rain brings them up to the surface.
Texas pest control businesses are licensed by the TDA. The call carries no obligation.
Why the yard keeps filling up
Fire ants are established across North Texas. Dallas and Collin counties are both on the Texas Department of Agriculture's list of counties quarantined for imported fire ants, so every lawn is open to colonies from the neighbors' yards and the greenbelts.
Newer lots are prime ground. Graded soil, sod laid in strips and irrigation that keeps it moist suit fire ants well. In the subdivisions built around Sachse, Wylie and Murphy since 2000, mounds along sidewalk edges, sod seams and AC pads are the usual pattern.
Treating single mounds is a treadmill. Individual mounds can be knocked down, but the yard refills from the colonies that were not treated. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recommends a two-step approach: a bait broadcast over the whole yard, then individual treatment of mounds that need faster control. Spring and fall are the best times for the bait step; in the heat of summer the ants are less active.
What the visit involves
A technician walks the whole lot, not only the mounds you have seen: fence lines, the AC pad, sprinkler valve boxes, the edges of the driveway and flowerbeds. Then a treatment plan for the yard as a whole, with timing chosen around rain and mowing, and an explanation of how long baits take to work.
Tell the operator
- How many mounds and roughly where
- Whether anyone in the house has been stung, especially children
- Whether ants are coming into the house or the AC unit
- When the yard is watered and mowed
Say what you found and where. Call to check whether a visit is available today.
(866) 204-1244Questions people ask
Why do new mounds appear after every rain?
Rain collapses the underground tunnels, and the ants carry the new tunnel soil up and pile it on the surface as a mound. More mounds after a storm usually means the colonies became visible, not that they just arrived.
Does kicking or flooding a mound get rid of it?
Usually not. The queen sits deep in the soil. Disturbing the mound tends to send the colony to a new spot a few feet away.
Are the stings dangerous?
For most people they cause a burning sting and a small white pustule. A person with swelling far from the sting, trouble breathing or dizziness needs emergency medical care, not a pest control call.
Other things people find
- Winged insects swarming inside the houseDark, small, many at once near a window — then wings everywhere
- Mud lines running up the slab or the garage wallPencil-width dirt tubes on the foundation, brick or sheetrock
- A trail of small ants across the kitchenTiny ants along the counter, sink, window or dishwasher
- Found a scorpion in the housePale yellowish scorpion in the tub, on a wall or in shoes
- A brown spider in the garage, closet or storage boxesPlain brown spider, long legs, found in boxes or clothes
- Big roaches coming up from the drain or the garageLarge reddish-brown roach in the tub, sink or garage at night
- Small roaches in the kitchen cabinetsLight-brown roaches with two dark stripes, near the sink or appliances
- Scratching in the attic or walls at nightScurrying overhead after dark, usually once the weather cools
- Droppings in the pantry or kitchen drawersSmall dark pellets near food, under the sink or in drawers
- Waking up with bites in a line or clusterItchy bites after sleeping, dark specks on the mattress seams
- Mosquitoes make the backyard unusableBites on the patio at dusk, or even in the middle of the day
- Fleas in the house even after treating the petsBites around the ankles, tiny jumping insects in the carpet
- Pests in a house that was just builtCrickets, ants or scorpions in a home that is a year or two old
ZIP codes covered
Mostly built since 2000
Older neighborhoods, 1970s–1990s