While it may seem misleading given their small size, ants are Greater Philadelphia’s top nuisance pest. Homeowners should take action if ants are found on the property, as even just a few of them could mean much more in the near future.
Since they communicate exceedingly well, they can migrate whenever need be in order to grow their colony. Additionally, they are quite resilient. While smashing or spraying ants may be tempting, it is rare that the entire colony is seen at once. Ants in hiding will keep coming back, guided towards food by pheromones.
Smaller ant problems may be solved with baiting, but only if the right techniques are applied. It is important to be careful when choosing ant bait products. The propensity of ants to be drawn towards a particular bait depends on the time of year, and they may ignore the bait completely if it doesn’t have the food sources needed at the time.
Acquiring pest control services from a qualified professional is a proven method for eliminating ant infestations. Licensed exterminators typically offer free inspections to identify the type of ant infesting the home. After gaining knowledge of the specific issue, they implement a customized treatment plan meant to get rid of all ants in the house. If DIY methods are failing, then pest control is the only way to get rid of these nuisance insects.
WHAT DO ANTS LOOK LIKE?
Ants vary in size up to an inch and will either be brown, black, red, or yellow in color. They will have a generally narrow body shape consisting of three parts: the head, thorax, and abdomen. Their appearance often leads to confusion with termites, although they are more related to wasps.
An ant colony consists of the queen, the female workers, and the males, each with differing appearances. Worker ants, the most numerous in a colony, are smaller and generally have more prominent mandibles for foraging and nest maintenance.
The queen and male ants possess wings, setting them apart from the wingless worker ants. The queen will always be larger in size and will shed her wings once she starts laying eggs.
Exterminating the queen is an important step when getting rid of ants. When the queen ant dies, the colony will no longer be able to reproduce and consequently die off in a couple of months.
ARE ANTS AGGRESSIVE?
Some ant species are harmless to humans, while others will bite or sting to protect themselves from danger. This makes proper species identification a necessary part of any professional ant control service.
Fire ants are the most aggressive and will attack with a venomous sting that feels like a burning sensation. Fortunately, they are not present in and tend to be more in the southern United States.
Most other ants will be nonvenomous, but they can still pack a punch depending on the size of the pinchers. The half-inch-long carpenter ant can have a rather formidable bite, for example, with pain lasting for several minutes and swelling thereafter.
WHERE DO ANTS LIVE?
When it comes to their environment, ants are extremely adaptable insects. They are present on every mass of land in the world, with few exceptions. The only areas that don't boast populations of ants are Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland, and some island nations.
Within this plethora of habitats, ants may decide to build their nests near decaying wood or under topsoil and leaf piles.
Ants live in large groups called colonies. An average ant colony can contain up to 500,000 worker ants in addition to hundreds of flying insects and queens. Because of these dense colonies, they are quite a difficult pest to control alone.
The specific areas of a home where ants choose to invade depend on the species of ant and their behavior. A recent survey from the National Pest Management Association found that kitchens and bathrooms tend to be the spaces most vulnerable to ants.
WHAT DO ANTS EAT?
Ants are omnivores that scavenge and hunt for their food. They can generally consume anything available to them. The most common food that ants will go after is sugar, which is why they are such a nuisance in homes. It only takes one ant to leave a pheromone trail and signal to the colony that there is a food source nearby.
Ants living outside will find protein by infamously eating live or dead animals. They will also feed on honeydew when it’s available. Of course, remnants of human foods are always an option as well. The chemosenses of an ant will detect the slightest trace of nutrients as long as there are either sugars, fats, or proteins.
Once ants have invaded your home, they will begin finding substitutes for the proteins and carbohydrates that sustained them outside. This usually results in ants making their way into your kitchen, where little bits of crumbs are in abundance.
These pests are often underestimated because they are so small, but that is precisely what makes it easy for them to reach seemingly inaccessible foods and the tiniest corners of a home. This is why professional exterminators remain diligent when inspecting for ant problems.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY ANTS
Most ants prefer to take advantage of existing deterioration when building nests, but carpenter ants are the exception.
Carpenter ants cause damage to commercial and residential buildings by boring through wood and creating unsightly tunnels, eventually causing structures to become unsupportive and even fail. They will burrow into door frames, walls, and any wood beams that happen to be inside a home structure.
Outdoor properties, such as lawns and gardens, can also experience a large number of soil chambers on their surface. These chambers, resulting from ant hills and nesting, cause soil to become soft and uneven. If crops or other important plants are present, then serious issues can arise.
DO ANTS CARRY DISEASE?
Unlike mosquitoes or rodents, ants do not carry diseases themselves. However, they still track bacteria and fungi that can cause several food-borne illnesses.
Ants will search any and every crevice of a building in search of food and water. This includes areas ridden with bacteria, such as toilets and trash cans. As they migrate between areas of the home, they cross-contaminate. Because of ant infestations, the bacteria from toilets is transferred to bedrooms and kitchens.
If ants reach the kitchen or pantry, contamination can occur instantaneously. Food that has touched ants should not be eaten because of this health risk, and the same goes for utensils and plates left outside.
HOW TO DETECT ANTS
Signs of an ant infestation include:
• Trails of sawdust around flooring and window ledges, which may indicate carpenter ants • Visible ant nests or mounds in outdoor areas such as gardens or lawns • Small swarms of ants gathering around a food source or trailing toward a destination • Rustling sounds near wooden beams or inside walls
HOW TO PREVENT ANTS
To help prevent ant issues the following steps should be taken:
• Eliminate food sources by disposing of unused food and securely storing leftovers • Keep a clean kitchen • Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink and crumbs nearby • Remove dead tree limbs or those nearest to your home, as these will attract carpenter ants • Plug any gaps the ants are using with caulk to prevent them from gaining entry • Store firewood in an outdoor area, such as a shed or garage, to keep carpenter ants from coming in
HOW WE TREAT FOR ANTS
Ants are the number one pest control issue and can prove virtually impossible for home and business owners to solve on their own. Ending an ant infestation typically requires proper ant identification, locating and destroying the nest or colony, as well as the use and application of specialized products.
As such, it is not advisable for property owners to attempt to eradicate an ant infestation without assistance from a professional pest control provider. Schedule a FREE inspection today.
