Pavement ants are a widespread nuisance species that may cause problems in Philadelphia area residences and commercial buildings.
As their name suggests, pavement ants like to nest adjacent to paved surfaces. They also will use existing cracks and seams in paved surfaces as entrances to massive underground nests. A colony of pavement ants may include tens of thousands of individuals, causing a need to constantly enlarge the nest. Moreover, the colony must be fed, so the workers must forage non-stop.
Given their extremely small size, it is easy for pavement ants to take advantage of almost any tiny crack or opening in a building's exterior. This gives them an opportunity to look for food and perhaps even find a location in which to establish a new nest.
Generally regarded as a nuisance pest, it remains possible for pavement ant infestations to make people sick. The species also may damage the property, making it wise for people to take action when they start seeing small piles of sandy soil on paved surfaces or notice ants indoors.
Ant infestations are difficult to control. Fortunately, pest management professionals understand that it is necessary to attack the problem from a variety of angles.
WHAT DO PAVEMENT ANTS LOOK LIKE?
With their black or brown coloration and two to three millimeter length, pavement ants are difficult to distinguish from other common ant species. Experts can discern more distinctive characteristics such as the pest's stinger and its complicated antennae, which feature numerous segments.
WHERE DO PAVEMENT ANTS LIVE?
It is not unusual for paved surfaces like driveways, parking lots, sidewalks and patios to develop cracks. Many of these hard surfaces also have seams that are ripe for excavating by pavement ants. Colonies of these pests look for cracks and seams that they can use as entrances to get underground, giving them a safe and sheltered nest. Diligent excavators, the workers bring soil to the surface where they discard it in piles. Seeing multiple such piles around a paved surface frequently is the first indication of an infestation.
While paved surfaces are the most likely place to find a nest of pavement ants, this species can adapt to other habitats. Consequently, a pile of wood, lumber, bricks or stones may be a nesting site. Even exposed soil or a heavy cover of mulch may be used for a nest.
The insulation that is placed in ceilings and walls may serve as a nest for pavement ants when they come indoors. Concealing nests beneath the floor is common, and it is not unusual for well-hidden pavement ant nests to be difficult to locate. The services of an exterminator may be needed to locate and remove the nest before it can cause additional problems.
WHAT DO PAVEMENT ANTS EAT?
Honeydew is the staple food of pavement ant colonies. This substance is produced by underground-dwelling insects that feed on plant roots. Pavement ants also eat a variety of insects. With their liking for both sweets and proteins, many foods that are intended for people are attractive to pavement ants. Any food that is fatty or greasy is irresistible. From baked goods to meat, almost any food may be sought contaminated.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY PAVEMENT ANTS
Pavement ants make an unsightly mess on paved surfaces as they bring soil to the ground's surface. Fortunately, the damage to large paved areas rarely is extensive. Should the pests decide to nest beneath a stepping stone or other smaller structure, this can become problematic as the stepping stone settles and becomes uneven. People may be injured by tripping over such an obstacle.
When pavement ants come indoors, they tend to leave wood alone, so structural damage with an indoor nest likely will not be widespread. However, the fact that the pests were able to come inside and build a nest indicates that the structure has vulnerabilities that make it susceptible to this and other pest infestations.
The tiniest crack or gap may be used by pavement ants to come indoors. In fact, property owners usually have difficulty figuring out exactly how the ants are gaining access. A well-trained pest control technician is practiced at finding such openings and ensuring that they are eliminated.
ARE PAVEMENT ANTS AGGRESSIVE?
Capable of both stinging and biting, the pavement ant remains a very remote threat to people. This is mainly because they are so tiny. People may be bitten or stung, but they are unlikely to experience much of a reaction. Plus, such "attacks" are rare. Pavement ants would much rather avoid people altogether.
DO PAVEMENT ANTS CARRY DISEASE?
Direct contact between people and pavement ants is not necessary in order for people to get sick. This is because these ants carry and spread potentially harmful bacteria like salmonella wherever they go. With a powerful and unerring sense of smell, these pests go into extremely unsanitary places to look for food. Next, they travel into kitchens, pantries and cafeterias, carelessly distributing bacteria as they go. They get into food that is stored for later consumption and crawl across surfaces where food is made and the utensils that are used to prepare it. Consequently, reports of cases of food poisoning tend to rise while an infestation is underway.
HOW TO PAVEMENT DETECT ANTS
Signs of a pavement ant infestation include:
• Dead ants found indoors • Ants anywhere that food is kept or eaten • Vast numbers of ants on paved surfaces • Cracks and gaps in building exteriors that are thronged by ants • Paved surfaces are marred by piles of soil
HOW TO PREVENT PAVEMENT ANTS
To help prevent pavement ant problems the following steps should be taken:
• Paved surfaces are kept in good repair • Water leaks are quickly corrected • Trees and plants are prevented from touching buildings • Pest-proof food storage practices are used • Cracks in foundations are eliminated • Rooms in which food is stored or prepared are kept clean
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.
