Ants Attack Florida Beach
By: EarthKind
Ant infestations can be especially troublesome during the summer. A Florida beach community is contending with hordes of ants on the beach. The Florida Times Union reports, “Ants are overrunning beach walkovers, leaving more than a few city residents beleaguered, bothered and bitten.”
While ants don’t generally pose a serious health threat (unless they are fire ants), they can still lessen people’s enjoyment of the outdoors. Keeping ants away from outdoor spaces is virtually impossible, and not necessarily desirable since they are a “beneficial pest” that eats other nuisance pests.
Controlling pests in a sensitive environment like the beach can be especially challenging. Some pesticides can be detrimental to beach ecosystems and non-target wildlife. Safety concerns for people, pets, and other animals must be considered. In this case, the city of Neptune Beach is working with a pest control company to address the issue. While they are able to treat public areas, people need to take steps to prevent pest problems too.
A few common sense tips can help stop ants from ruining your fun in the sun:
- Be aware. Check shoes, water toys, hats, etc… before handling to make sure ants have not swarmed items.
- Be tidy. Clean up crumbs and spills promptly so as not to attract ants. Throw trash away, preferably into a can with a lid, as soon as possible.
- Protect your pets. Remember that ants can cause problems for pets too. Check on pets frequently in case they are being bothered. Don’t leave pet food or water sitting out when not in use; ants love pet food.
Finally, remember to protect yourself and your property with a natural ant repellent. Inspect all of your items before bringing them into your house so you don’t bring ants home with you. The easiest way to get rid of ants is to keep them out in the first place.
