Ants are the most frequent and persistent pests encountered around homes and buildings. Besides being a nuisance, ants contaminate food, build unsightly mounds on property, and cause damage by hollowing out wood and other materials for nesting.
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera.
Living together in large groups, ants are social insects that can take over any property. They are a common pest and easily identified by their three body segments, six legs, and bent antennae. Only the reproductive members of an ant colony have wings. An ant colony consists of three different groups or “castes”: workers, males, and queens. Workers (sterile females) make up the bulk of the colony and are responsible for everything but reproduction. The males and queens are responsible for reproduction only.
Each colony can hold up to half a million ants.
Worker ants can live for up to seven years, while a queen can live for up to 15 years.
Ants swarm once every year. The young queens fly away and set up new colonies. If you hear people talking about flying ants, this may be the swarm they are referring to, or they could be termite alates (winged reproductive).
If you’ve seen a few ants scuttling around on the floor, they might be just having a look around. However, they might be the sign of a larger ant infestation.
A large number of live ants can be a very clear indication that you have an ant problem. Ants are often found in kitchens or in areas where food source is.
Some ants lay down a pheromone in their trail to a food source to attract other ants from their colony to this food. Trails like these in and out of your home or business are another sign of an ant infestation.
A nest site can look like a small pile of soil or dirt. Some ant species like to make their homes in walls or other quiet, dark places, which can be difficult to spot.
An influx of these pests can be tricky to deal with, but adequate treatment, carried out by experienced specialists on all existing nests, as well as ceilings, floors and other areas of a property, will make all the difference.
Generally speaking, treatment using bait is a good method for ant control, especially for this particular species. For infestations outside of the property, domestic or commercial, perimeter barrier treatment using residual spraying will effectively control the situation.
Ants could be in your house for multiple reasons: lack of good housekeeping habits; cracks and crevices on the structure and foundation; vegetation is close to your home; or other influences. Our NEA certified specialist can identify the cause of the issue and help you correct the infestation within your home or business premises.
