Ant Control  – Exterminators – Removal

There are three types of ants that are known to sting people occasionally: fire ants, acrobat ants, and harvester ants. Additionally, there are a few ants that bite, including tawny crazy ants and carpenter ants. All ants use their bite or sting as a defense mechanism, usually when ants in their colony are threatened. More often than not, ants do not bite or sting people. When it does occur, the symptoms involved are typically mild.

There can be as many as 10,000 ants in a single ant colony. These big colonies frequently split off into what are called “super-colonies”—this is when there are multiple nests and queens in each colony. Ants are known to be very sociable, which is why their colonies can grow to such large numbers. These colonies contain four different types of ants: the queen, drones, female workers, and reproductives. The average lifespan of an ant colony varies—fire ant colonies, for example, can survive for as many as 7 years.

Ants can seemingly appear out of nowhere in your home. Most ant species look to get indoors to seek out food, water, and shelter. They like to enter homes through cracks in the foundation, any gaps or openings in exterior walls, vents drains, or cables. Ants also sneak in underneath garage and exterior doors and through holes in window screens and gaps around windows and doors. When scout ants find a food source in your home they will lay down a chemical trail for other ants to follow. For this reason, even a small ant problem can suddenly get much worse in a matter of days.

Research has indeed shown that ants sleep. However, they do not sleep in the same manner as humans. This is because ants take many micro-naps rather than uninterrupted periods of sleep each day. Within the colony, worker ants take upwards of 400 naps a day—with each nap being no longer than just a minute long. In total, worker ants sleep for about 4 hours a day. Queen ants, however, take 6-minute naps up to 90 times a day in order to get enough rest to lay eggs.

When ants are indoors, they are attracted to a number of things. By knowing what ants are attracted to, you can lessen the risk of these pests in your home. The two main ant attractants include:

1. Food: Ants will be drawn to spilled food, crumbs, and even pet food in your home. Some types of ants prefer proteins, sweets, and greasy foods. 
2. Water: Ants need moisture to survive. They will be especially drawn to homes with moisture problems from leaky pipes or faucets.

Research has shown that ants communicate with one another using a variety of methods: chemicals (pheromones), touch, body language, and even sound. Using pheromones and their antennae, ants communicate messages to each other. Ants also use touch to communicate by laying out scent trails to food sources for other colony members to use. Scientists have also found that ants communicate with each other with sound by scraping their legs on their bodies. Although we as humans cannot hear it, these sounds can be used to signal a variety of messages amongst a colony.

Most species of nuisance ants pose little danger to you or your home. However, there are a number of ant species that are slightly more dangerous. These more dangerous ants include the following:

1. Carpenter ants. While not as dangerous as termites, carpenter ants have the ability to cause significant wood damage to your property.
2. Tawny crazy ants. These ants have a habit of nesting in electronics. Once inside, they can chew on wires and create a fire hazard.
3. Fire ants. These ants are considered dangerous due to their ability to sting individuals. One fire ant can sting multiple times.

Once you have an ant problem, they are difficult to get rid of on your own. DIY ant pest control is mostly ineffective and can be dangerous if not used properly. If you spot one ant or a trail of ants in your home, follow the trail to locate their entry point. Entry points can include baseboards along walls, underneath doors, plumbing fixtures, and cabinets. Seal entry points with a silicone-based caulk and spray undiluted vinegar along the trail. Repair leaky plumbing and eliminate food sources by storing foods in containers, cleaning floors, and sanitizing all surfaces. To get rid of ants quickly and effectively, contact your local ant exterminators for assistance.