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Small & Medium Ant Control
The Odorous House Ant gets its name from the smell it emits when it is squashed.
Odorous Ants
Appearance:
Plain dark brown or black.
Size:
Odorous ants are between 1/16 and 1/8 inch in length.
The most common ants found in homes are small or medium-sized ants, of which the Odorous House Ant is a common species for this region. The Moisture Ant is another common small ant found in homes. Many ants that are small and found in the house are commonly referred to as ”sugar ants.”
When you see one or two ants, it isn’t very long before they seem to pop up everywhere. The first ants you see are scouts who are looking for food, and once they find a source they send in the army of ant workers to get it.
They are attracted to open targets like the food bowl for your pets, or the garbage can under the sink.
Once they find a food source you will have lines of ants by the thousands, making a trail in and out of your home. The more food they find, the quicker their colony grows, leading to a never-ending infestation.
When you find these ants in your home, you will want to clean off surfaces and remove potential food sources right away, but that may not stop them from coming back!
The best time to call a professional ant exterminator is when you first see a few scouts. Even if you clean and remove food sources the ants will continue to explore and will become more aggressive in seeking food sources anywhere they can. They will infiltrate cabinets or pantry areas, eat their way through packaging and spoiling nearly anything edible.
To fully eradicate ants, an ant pest control technician will need to be called.
Other Ants you may encounter in or around your home.
Argentine Ants
Fire Ants
Ghost Ants
Pavement Ants
Thief Ants
White Footed Ants
Carpenter Ant Control
Appearance:
There are two species of Carpenter Ants. They act the same but look different.
C. modoc has a body that’s completely black with minute yellow hairs on its abdomen (last body portion).
C. vicinus has a reddish-brown thorax (center body portion) and a black abdomen; this species may have black or reddish-brown legs.
Size:
Both C. vicinus and C. modoc cany be between 3/16″ and 1/2” in length; their relatively large size makes them easy to spot.
As their name suggests, Carpenter Ants are most often found in damp woody areas; tree stumps and roots are prime nesting locations, as are piles of decaying wood boards.
If there are damp conditions in your home’s kitchen, bathroom, crawl spaces, attic, basement or inside exterior walls, Carpenter Ants are likely to infest these areas. Any damp or damaged wood gives Carpenter Ants an opportunity to create a new nest.
Both species of Carpenter Ants are most active during spring and summer; peak hours of activity take place between dusk and midnight. Sweet foods such as sugar and honey are most preferred by Carpenter Ants so they’re likely to be spotted in kitchens and pantries. They’re dedicated foragers and will pinch if they’re interrupted.
Carpenter Ants should be dealt with by a professional Carpenter Ant Pest Control exterminator. They are voracious eaters and can destroy property quickly. Their colony must be located and treated so that they do not return.