Winged fire ants are swarming across Orlando yards this spring. ABC Home & Commercial Services explains what the nuptial flight actually means for homeowners — and why seeing it is a sign to act fast, not wait.
If you've been seeing small winged insects flying low across your yard in clusters, there's a good chance they're fire ants. Not termites. Not gnats. Fire ants with wings. And if you've spotted them this spring, here's what that actually means. Winged fire ants are the reproductive members of the colony. Every mature fire ant colony produces them once a year. They swarm, they mate in the air, and then the fertilized females land — shed their wings — and start building a new colony right there in the soil. It's called the nuptial flight, and in Florida, it happens from spring all the way through fall. Here's the part that matters most. When you see a swarm, it doesn't mean fire ants just showed up. It means a colony that's been growing on or near your property is now large enough and mature enough to expand. That swarm is the reproduction event. And if that female finds a good spot nearby, you don't have one colony anymore. You have two. How do you tell winged fire ants from, say, termite swarmers? The body shape. Fire ants have a pinched waist — a very defined, narrow section between the upper and lower body. Termites are more straight-sided. Fire ants also have bent antennae, where termites have straight ones. Getting this right matters because the treatment is completely different. If the ants bite you, move away from the area fast. Fire ants swarm when disturbed, and they sting multiple times. Wash the bites with mild soap and warm water — but don't scrub — and put a cold compress on them for about ten to fifteen minutes. Don't scratch. It makes things worse and slows healing. Now, for actually treating the colony: surface sprays don't work well. Fire ant nests go deep underground, sometimes several feet. The queen stays protected down there while workers replace the ones you kill up top. Professional treatments are designed to reach the queen directly. No queen — no colony rebuilding. ABC Home and Commercial Services has been serving the Orlando area since two thousand and six. The team is fully background checked and QualityPro certified. If you've spotted winged fire ants in your yard this spring, don't wait for the second colony to show up. Visit a-b-c home and commercial dot com slash orlando to learn more or schedule an inspection. The best time to treat fire ants is before they double. ABC Home & Commercial Services Orlando City: Orlando Address: 823 East Colonial Drive Website: https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/orlando Phone: +1 407 265 0665