Scottsdale, AZ -- (SBWire) -- 11/20/2012 --As anyone who lives in the Valley of the Sun knows quite well, the Phoenix metropolitan area is home to a wide variety of bugs and insects. This plethora of pests can wreak havoc on homes and offices, as well as the people who live and work in them.

One type of insect that can be extremely problematic is the fire ant. Found throughout the Phoenix area, these ants are capable of inflicting an extremely painful sting.

A pest control Mesa company has been getting a lot of attention lately for its “Bug of the Month” blog, which offers advice and tips on dealing with the various creepy crawlies that can be found throughout the area.

Sexton Pest Control, a full service company that provides a wide range of services to home and business owners, offers readers in-depth and helpful information in its popular blog. The current article, which is posted on the Chandler pest control company’s website, discusses fire ants. The author notes that at some point, most valley residents will come across some type of ant or ant colony, which is often made up of fire ants.

“A typical fire ant colony produces large mounds in open areas, and feeds mostly on young plants, seeds, and sometimes crickets,” the article by the pest control Scottsdale company noted, adding that fire ants often attack small animals and can even kill them.

Unlike many other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, the pest control Gilbert company’s article explained that fire ants bite only to get a grip and then sting and inject a toxic alkaloid venom called solenopsin, a compound from the class of piperidines.

“For humans, this is a painful sting, a sensation similar to what one feels when burned by fire—hence the name fire ant—and the after effects of the sting can be deadly to sensitive individuals. The venom is both insecticidal and antibiotic.”

For people or animals that are not properly protected, fire ants can be very deadly, the article said. Their stings are very powerful and can cause those who are allergic to the venom to go into anaphylactic shock.

Although some home and business owners may believe that they can combat fire ants with a can of Raid, the blog noted that this will not be enough to control the powerful pest.

“Fire ants live deep down in the soil and most of the time requires a licensed professional pest control technician to rid you of these fierce little buggers.”

Anyone who has questions about insects or bugs or has a pest control problem is welcome to post on Sexton Pest Control’s online forum. They may also contact the company directly to learn more about its Total Pest Protection plans.

About Sexton Pest Control
Since 1960 Sexton Pest Control has been providing homes and businesses with the highest quality commercial and residential pest control for termites, fleas, spiders, scorpions, bees, cockroaches, ants, insects, and rodents throughout Phoenix, Arizona. Sexton Pest Control’s experience and dedication to Phoenix pest control has generated an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, ranking as the number one pest control company by Ranking Arizona, and the 2009 Phoenix Award for pest control services by the Commerce Commission. When using Sexton Pest Control, customers will have the confidence that the company’s pest control services are the best. For more information, please visit http://www.sextonpestcontrol.com