Various ants might look the same to many people. However, many different ant species exist. In this blog post, discover three common types of ants to be on the lookout for around your home.
1. Slab or Pavement Ants
Slab ants, also known as pavement ants, are common throughout the United States. They have brownish-black coloring, and some sport wings in spring and summer. They like to eat many things, including other insects, honey, bread, meat, cheese, and grease.
These ants are mostly outdoor dwellers, placing their colonies around sidewalks, driveways, or logs, as well as alongside garages or homes. However, they prefer to nest inside your home. Inside, you might find them in kitchens or pantries— over wherever the food is because the temperature inside your home does not fluctuate as it does outdoors, or they can be anywhere, including inside the walls, under the floors, or inside woodwork or insulation.
These ants are the excavators of soil which can cause cracking and settling to the slabs of concrete in and around your home. While they can bite, their bites aren’t usually harmful, unless a person has an allergic reaction to ants. Also, pavement or slab ants can contaminate food sources if the ants get inside them.
Treatment for pavement or slab ants is often straightforward and easy if you see them outside. However, if they have gotten inside, their nest can be hard to find. If you find pavement ants inside your home — especially if they’ve gotten inside your food — a professional can help you treat for pavement ants and help you protect your home from infestation.
2. Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are perhaps one of the most destructive ant species that can invade a person’s home. They are often black in color in our area and when a colony reaches maturity, it produces winged ants known as swarmers to leave, mate, and start a new colony.
Carpenter ants are known for their damage to wood. However, unlike termites, carpenter ants do not like to eat wood. Instead, they use wood for shelter. Despite their difference in how they use wood, they can pose a danger. Additionally, due to their large mandibles, give very painful bites.
How can you find carpenter ants? One sign includes seeing the ants themselves. You might also notice wood shavings, rustling noises inside walls, or droppings that look like sawdust. Any of these can be cause for concern, so speak to a professional immediately to identify and treat carpenter ant infestation.
3. Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants are known for their distinctive odor when someone steps on them. Many people might describe the odor as a rotten coconut or even pine. These ants are often brown and black, and like other ant species, some can sprout wings during certain times of the year.
They can dwell outside or inside and love sugar-rich foods. Their preferred food diets can include honeydew, nectar, grease, pastries, and other insects.
Odorous house ants are more nuisances than actual dangers. However, their love of sugar can lead them to infiltrate, infest, and contaminate food sources. That’s why you shouldn’t leave odorous house ants alone if you spot them in your home.
A pest control professional can determine the extent of their infestation and treat your home with the proper method. As odorous house ants move around a lot, you might require more than one treatment before they are completely gone. Your pest control professional will likely know how often to come back for re-treatment if necessary.
Get the Pest Control Help You Need
If you spot any of these ant species in or around your home, Guardian Pest Control is here to help. Our licensed pest control experts will visit your home and provide experienced ant control so that you can have peace of mind. Contact us today.