Do you remember being a child and playing outside by burning ants with a magnifying glass? Well, that may have been fun, but it’s not as fun when the ants are the ones burning us by infesting our homes and yards. Here in northern California, we have a wide variety of ants, but here are a few that you are most likely to encounter.
Argentine Ants
These ferocious ants are the epitome of a pest. Argentine ants are an invasive species that originated in South America, eventually being transported around the world by sneaking into shipping containers. Now, a little under a century later, the Argentine ant can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Although these invaders are just a few millimeters long, they pack a big punch. Argentine ants are known for killing native ant species, and growing their colony size at alarming rates. Arguably one of the worst features of the Argentine ant is that it is extremely hard to exterminate. Each colony can have multiple queens, meaning the simple ant traps aren’t going to cut it this time. It might be time to call your residential pest management company.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are one of the larger ants that you may find in the Sacramento area. It is a common misconception that carpenter ants eat wood, and this is simply not true. Much like other species of ants, carpenter ants feed on proteins and sugars, the wood is simply where they live. Unlike other ants, carpenter ants are more of an issue because of their housing habits than their colony size. Carpenter ants prefer to live in damaged damp wood, so if your home is damaged you might want to fix it before carpenter ants move in. Sadly, once carpenter ants infest your home you will most likely not be able to do anything about it yourself. It might be time to call a pest removal company.
Carpenter Ants Vs Termites
Carpenter ants are often confused with termites because carpenter ants and termites both have wings and are relatively the same size. Here are a couple ways to tell the difference between termites, and carpenter ants.
- Antennae: Carpenter ants have hooked antennae, while termites have straight antennae.
- Color: Carpenter ants are a dark brown/ black, while termites are a lighter brown.
- Wings: Carpenter ants have a shorter back wing, while termites have wings of equal length.
- Waist: Carpenter ants have a narrow waist, while termites have a broad waist.
Thief Ants
Thief ants live in small colonies, with as little as a couple hundred ants belonging to a single colony. With such as small colony size thief ants can easily relocate, often gravitating towards food-rich areas. In nature, thief ants are known to nest in soil under the shelter of rocks, but in homes, thief ants are known for living in small cracks in kitchen cabinets and floors. Thief ants are one of the easier ants to treat for, and you might be able to do it on your own as long as you correctly identify the ant. Thief ants are often confused with the pharaoh ant, making pest management less effective if the ant is incorrectly identified. If you have any questions about how to identify an ant, or if you want us to take care of your pest problem, call us at Earthwise Pest Management.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are incredibly small yellow ants that you might notice wandering around outside. The primary issue with pharaoh ants is their size. This nuisance pest usually inhabits the cracks of sidewalks and small holes in walls, but once they get into your home, they can establish colonies in places like your baseboard or beneath cabinets and remain unnoticed for weeks. Pharaoh ant colonies grow extremely fast, so if you think that you may have an infestation, call your local exterminator
Getting Rid Of Your Ants
If you find yourself in the middle of a hostile ant invasion, just take a step back and take a deep breath. Once you do that, contact us! At Earthwise Pest Management, we will show you how efficient past management can be!
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