Ant infestation is very common and can become a real hectic for house owners. That’s because there are thousands of species with each requiring different treatment. Ants live in colonies and each colony works as a whole. So, you will need specialist pest controllers to exterminate ants from your house.
We have shared information about ants that you must know as a house owner. Also, we have discussed some common types of ants so that you can easily differentiate between them.
What attracts ants to your house?
Like other household pests and bugs, ants are attracted by food. They feed on leftovers, crumbs, spills, and pet food as well as improperly stored food. And if your home has moisture and suitable conditions, ants can nest there for a long tie. Moist spaces around leaking pipes and rain damage wood areas are suitable spaces for them. Ants can also make nests in sub-flooring or wall voids, cracks in the floor, and crevice exposed dirt.
How to stop ants from getting in the house?
The first thing you must do is to abolish possible nesting spaces. Inspect your home, fix water leaks, and caulk up voids, crevices, and cracks. Store the food in tightly packed containers, clean up the spills, and make sure pet dishes and your sink is properly cleaned. Trimming vegetation and cutting tree branches that are touching your home is also recommended.
Can ants build nests in walls?
Yes, ants are very likely to make nests in walls if there are cracks. That’s why you must caulk up voids if there are any cracks in doors and walls.
How to get rid of ants in the house?
Once spread, it can be tough to get rid of ant infestation. As highlighted, ants live in colonies as they are social insects. You can use bait spraying to eradicate them but it will only work to a certain level. Also, some ants like black carpenter ants are more resilient. You will need good pest control services to eliminate an ant infestation.
How to abolish an ant’s nest?
In case you come across an ants nest in your home, use a recommended insecticide. You must make sure that the insecticide appropriately labeled and spray directly. A direct spray on the ant nest can kill the workers, pupae, larvae, and the queen as well.
You can also use an ant bait in case you are unable to locate the nest. The worker ants will take the bait to feed the colony and thus will kill them all. However, you must be cautious while using the bait and may have to do this more than once.
What are the most common types of ants?
Here are some common types of ants that can make a nest in your home. We have briefly discussed their unique traits for clear identification.
Pharaoh Ants
These tiny ants are approximately 2 to 2.5mm long in size. They are pale yellow in color, have two nodes, and uneven thorax with dark abdomens. Their colony size may vary from a few hundred to a thousand. There are more than one queens at the same time which can form new colonies.
Pharaoh Ants are omnivorous and prefer to trail along the utility line. These have a high preference for water and usually nest in warm, moist areas.
Black Carpenter Ants
Black carpenter ants vary greatly in size from anywhere between 7 to 14mm. They have a smooth thorax and may have yellow or golden hair on the abdomen. They are dark brown to black in color and feed mainly on sweet wood, hence the name black carpenter.
These ants enter usually homes through tree branches touching the building structure. However, they can also enter along plumbing and utility lines as well as attics. Their colony has one queen in the mother nest with up to 3000 or more ants. But smaller satellite colonies are often seen around the nest. Black carpenter ants normally make nests in voids or moist, decaying wood.
Acrobat Ants
These are neither short nor very large in size and range between 3.5 to 4mm in size. They have an uneven thorax profile, a thin spine, and a heart-shaped abdomen. The distinctive abdomen with two nodes and visible stinger make them prominent. The body color of these ants is reddish black or black.
Acrobat ants are omnivorous and live in small colonies. There is only one queen and they usually make a nest in decayed wood. You can find them inside wall voids, insulations, and water-damaged wood. These ants usually enter homes through window sills, cracks, and tree limbs that are touching walls.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are light brown to black in color and 3 to 4mm in length. These have grooved thorax and head which are visible to the naked eye. They like to form large colonies with more than one queen. The average size of a Pavement ants nest is around 4000 ants.
These ants nest in soils preferably cracks between concrete slabs in your doorway. However, they can adapt indoors and you may found them nesting near heat sources, under the floor, and in walls. Pavement ants are opportunist feeders as they feed on almost anything.
We hope you have found the information that you were looking for about ants. You can eradicate ants by yourself if your house has been invaded by ants. However, if the infestation is severe, you must call a good pest control company. It is wise to leave the matters to skilled professionals when the situation gets out of hand.
