F ire ants are small bugs, but they can cause big, Texas-sized problems. According to the National Park Service, a single colony of fire ants can include half a million aggressive workers. They build mounds that poke up from the earth, but their nests can actually extend 20 feet underground with tunnels stretching 8 feet in every direction. That’s a serious network with the potential to damage your landscaping! Fire ants are also a danger to kids and pets. Their stings are painful and can be life-threatening for those with allergies. Plus, they’re a nuisance when you’re trying to do yardwork. If you’ve lived in the Anna area for a while, odds are you’ve seen these reddish- brown pests in grassy places or have experienced their annoying stings. They love our warm, dry climate, but there are a few things you can do to protect your home and yard from an invasion. DON’T LET FIRE ANTS TAKE OVER YOUR YARD! Try These 3 Steps to Protect Your Home
1. Keep things neat and tidy. Fire ants are omnivores, so they eat just about anything we do and more! They usually go for meaty, greasy, or sweet things, which in the wild means bugs, eggs, seeds, and fruit. In urban areas, they’ll hunt down pet food and kitchen scraps. To avoid attracting them, seal
your trash bin and compost pile and consider feeding your pets indoors.
NO-CHURN S'MORES ICE CREAM
2. Start doing threshold inspections.
July is National Ice Cream Month, so why not cool off with some sweet, homemade s’mores ice cream? You don’t even need an ice cream churn!
Obviously, you should keep an eye out for ant mounds when you’re out in the yard, but another way to spot an ant problem early is by inspecting your clothes and any items you’re carrying when you come into the house. If you spot one ant, odds are there are more out there.
INGREDIENTS
•
• •
14 oz sweetened condensed milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 10 graham crackers, crushed
1 chocolate bar, chopped 2 cups whipping cream, chilled
3. Call in the professionals. If you’ve seen fire ants in your yard or been
• •
stung, it’s time to get help. You can try curbing a fire ant problem with over-the- counter bait, but that’s usually a temporary fix because most products only target adult ants, leaving their eggs to hatch later. If you have a fire ant problem and want to solve it for good, we can help. Our team can eradicate the colony and start a preventive maintenance program to keep the ants from coming back. To talk through your options, call us at 214-334-1466.
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, graham crackers, and chocolate. 2. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat whipping cream until peaks form, about 3 minutes. 3. Fold whipping cream into the condensed milk mixture. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 8 hours. 4. Serve and enjoy on a hot summer day. It’s especially delicious in a waffle cone!
3
214-334-1466
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker