Ants
About
What are ants?
Most everyone knows what ants are and have run across them enough times to know what they look like. To help you understand a little bit more about these insects, we want to provide you with some interesting facts about these common home-invading pests:
- There are around 1,000 species of ants living in the United States.
- A single ant colony can have more than a million members in it with multiple nesting sites. This why DIY ants control products are ineffective. All the ants and nesting sites need to be found and treated to rid you home and yard of these pests.
- Despite their small size ants are super strong. They are able to carry 50-100 times their own body weight, which helps them in their effort to forage for food to feed their colony.
- In the ant’s tiny abdomen are two stomachs. One for the food it eats and one to carry the food it is bringing back to the colony.
- Jobs within an ant colony are divided up among the different types of ants. Queens have only one job - to lay eggs. The male ant’s only job is to mate with the queen. All sterile females are workers; they feed the larvae, forage for food, maintain the nest, and defend the colony.
The most common species of ants living in our area of Louisana are carpenter ants, sugar ants, crazy raspberry ants, and fire ants.
Are ants dangerous?
Some ants are just a nuisance to deal with, while others pose some threats to people or property. Ants living in our homes can spread bacteria to food and surfaces that they carry on their body and legs.
Carpenter ants are dangerous because of their ability to damage and nest within the structural wood of a home or other building. Other species of ants like fire ants are dangerous because of the physical harm they can cause to people. Fire ants are aggressive and take defending themselves and their colony seriously. They deliver painful venom-filled stings. People allergic to their venom may experience a severe allergic reaction.
The best way to identify the exact species of ant living on your property and eliminate them is to partner with a trained professional. If ants have become a problem on your property, reach out to River City Termite & Pest Control today!
Why do I have an ant problem?
There are many reasons that ants become a problem on a property or in a home, but the biggest reason is they have discovered a reliable source of food to feed their colony. The more food sources a property provides, the bigger an ant problem you will have. Ants are omnivores and feed on a variety of foods found in our gardens, compost piles, trash cans, pet food bowls, kitchens, and pantries.
Ants will travel a distance of about 100 yards to a food source. So if hungry ants are foraging for food around your home, there are nesting sites nearby. To find their way back and forth from their nest to their food sources, they lay down pheromone trails that the colony members follow.
Where will I find ants?
Ants can nest in a variety of locations, depending on their exact species:
- Carpenter ants nest in pieces of wood, preferring wood that has been damaged by water. Outside, they often nest in tree stumps, fallen trees, older wooden fencing, and woodpiles. Inside, they like to nest inside of structural wood.
- Fire ants mainly nest outside. They prefer to build their nest in the soil in open grassy areas. Lawns, golf courses, parks, and athletic fields often are home to fire ants.
- Raspberry crazy ants and sugar ants both nest outside and inside. Inside, they nest near areas of moisture. They like to nest behind walls and under floors near water pipes, sinks, or drains.
How do I get rid of ants?
Eliminate ants and other pests from your Louisiana residential or commercial property with the help of River City Termite & Pest Control. We offer personalized services you can count on to eliminate problems with pests, and keep them from returning.
Get rid of ants from your property by reaching out to River City Termite & Pest Control. We are happy to work with you to ensure that your Baton Rouge area home or business is kept free of ants. To learn more about our home pest control or commercial pest control services, give us a call today!
How can I prevent ants in the future?
Help keep ants out of your home with the help of the following, easy-to-implement ant prevention tips:
- Inspect your home to see where ants are getting inside. Seal any spaces you find in the exterior walls or foundation.Caulk spaces found around windows and doors.
- Look at the screens that are in your home's windows or doors, repair any that are loose or have tears.
- Like any living thing, ants rely on a constant source of water. Remove easy access to water by fixing leaky pipes, dripping hoses, clogged gutters, or low-lying areas that collect rainwater.
- Move leaf debris, mulch, and weeds back away from your home's foundation.
- Keep ants out of your kitchen by eliminating food sources. Keep fruits and vegetables in the fridge. Store dry goods in airtight containers.
- Regularly wipe down counters and vacuum floors.
- Keep outdoor eating areas free of leftover food and drink containers.