Warm weather is a great time for many pests to come out from the cold and start to reproduce and nest. That means they are more likely to be found in homes and businesses and the more people will recognize they need professional pest control. One of the pests that thrive in the hot summer months is the ant. Ant is a general term and there are many spices of ants and each one is unique in the way that they act and look. Being able to identify them is a start but prevention can keep you from running into a infestation. A Five Star Termite & Pest Control lists common ant species and the best ways to prevent them.
Are Pavement Ants a Problem?
One of the most common ants that are out in the summer time is the pavement ant. They are found in the cracks in the pavement and cement where they tunnel and start their nests. They prefer to be outside but are still willing to go indoors to collect food. They are found running across kitchen counters where they can find crumbs and other left over food particles. They are about ¼ of an inch in length and are normally dark brown to black in color.
Do Pharaoh Ants Bite?
If you have a serious issue with ants you could have an infestation of Pharaoh ants. They are a major issue and are found in homes, apartments, store and restaurants. They love to eat all the sweets and foods that are found in abundance in cupboards in your home including peanut butter honey and sugary foods. They are much smaller than the pavement ant coming in at about 1/16 of an inch and are a light yellow to a reddish color. Pharaoh ants have the ability to bite, but it is usually not a concern except in cases of very large infestations.
What Do Odorous House Ants Harm?
These are a real pain to find in your home. Although most ants are small and hard to know what species you are dealing with the odorous ant has one unique way to tell. They actually give off an odor similar to rotten coconuts when they are smashed. They are found commonly looking for sweet foods and any other crumbs they can get in contact with. They are about 1/10 of an inch and are usually dark brown in color.
Should I Worry About Carpenter Ants?
The carpenter ant is a different ant all together and is found chewing in wood in and around your home. They don’t feed on the wood and digest it, they just chew through it to tunnel into the wood to live and nest. They are extremely aggressive and destructive if found in your home. They are a lot larger than most ants coming in around ½ an inch and are brown in color.
Ant Inspections, Exclusion, Control, Removal, Management & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
You want to keep ants out rather than try and deal with an infestation. You can do this by sealing up small gaps and cracks in the home and between doors and windows. Clean all dirty counters and dishes and seal up all left over foods to keep the critters away. Routine professional pest control can go a long way to keeping ants out of your home before they can increase in numbers. Call A Five Star Termite & Pest Control to schedule your next appointment today!
