Main Insect/Pest Information Page > Other Ants
Other Ants / Nuisance Ants
The most important note is to make the distinction between
an ant and a termite. All ant species have a body structure different
from termites. Although termites have three body parts there is very
little definition between the three, where as ants have three distinct
body segments.
It is important to correctly identify the species that you are seeing in your home, so as to be aware of their habits, source, and food preferences and most importantly, control measures. Most of the over the counter consumer products contain active ingredients that can cause these ant species to defend themselves by going through a process called “budding”. Nuisance ants generally have multiple queens, when a nest is under pressure from competing ants or chemical attack (RAID) the queens will collect a group of workers and eggs and start a new nest away from the initial nest area. Budding can turn an easy control situation into a very difficult one is almost no time.
Trius uses mainly bait formulations to control these ant species. If needed, we can use a non-repellant liquid residual; generally we reserve this treatment for more extreme ant cases.
Odorous House Ant
These are one of the most common home invading ant species.
These ants prefer to feed on sweets but will eat foods
high in protein. They have multiple queens and nests can
number from the hundreds to hundreds of thousands.
Why “odorous”? Well, when you step on one they smell like rotten coconuts. As if we all know what that smells like!
Pharaoh Ant
They are quite small (1/16” long) light yellow to red in
color with a dark abdomen. Colonies tend to be large, numbering
up to the hundreds of thousands, and contain multiple queens.
These ants are of significant importance in the medical
field because they have been found to carry more than a
dozen pathogenic bacteria. If treated incorrectly these
ants will bud, you may feel that you have control but then about 10 days
later they are back and are re-enforced.
Pavement Ant
Normally these ants are found in cracks or under pavement.
The workers are 1/16”-1/8” long, dark in color and have
grooved heads and thorax. Colony size is moderate 3-4,000
workers and have multiple queens. It is rare that they
will establish colonies in homes, but will come inside
foraging for food.
Citronella Ant
This ant is small, reddish in color, and when stepped on smells like citronella. They are most typically noticed during a reproductive swarm on your basement floor or building exterior.
They are harmless, do no damage and typically require no pesticides. Yes, they are living under the basement floor, but so are worms.
Again it is important to specifically identify the species in evidence, so as to be aware of their habits, source, and food preferences and most importantly, control measures. Doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, with the wrong material, may very well create more of a problem.
Each of these species is a nuisance but please do not make the mistake of inventing your own home brew, and please avoid attacking them with tons of store bought stuff. You will end up coughing, staining where you spray and aggravating the problem with little or no control.
These ant species are for the pros to take care of. When
we come out please do not disturb the bait placements.
It can take some time to eliminate a large nest, but patience will be
rewarded with no more ants
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