Despite how small they might be, the large impacts ants have on your home cannot be emphasized enough. If not taken care of, ants can cause both structural and supply damage to your home, as they will build nests and contaminate your food. There is also the worry of the physical damage ants can have on you and your family. No one wants to get bit by one of these creatures, as the possibility of infection is on the table.
At Innovative Pest Management, taking care of ants is just one of the many services we provide. Our inspections begin with the root of the cause: how the ants got in. We examine from the outside in, keeping an eye out for ant-like conditions and possible changes that could have led to their infestation. Once this is complete, we will alert you of said changes in your home environment that might have led to this and then create a program specific to your needs. But before we do all that, we need to know what type we are dealing with.
How many species of ants do you think there are? Believe it or not, the figure is somewhere in the several thousand range. In the area that Innovative Pest Management operates in, however, we typically only deal with a few. The usual suspects when it comes to ant infestations are the following:
Pavement Ants
These small brown ants can be found usually in large numbers, often traveling in a line together. What typically draws a pavement ant to your home will be food-related products, so make sure you are not keeping any food out in the open. Usual areas to find a pavement ant will be near driveways and patios, as they love paved surfaces.
Although there are several thousand species of ants, we are lucky to have only a few in our region that are considered pests. The three most common ants that we will find in our homes are the carpenter ant, the pavement ant, and odorous house ants. We occasionally see other species, but these are the most common.
The pavement ant and odorous house ants are nuisance ants but do not cause any property damage. However, the carpenter ant is a different story. It costs homeowners more money in damage each year than termites do. They do not do the damage nearly as fast, but when homeowners ignore them or attempt their own control methods.
Odorous House Ants
Just like pavement ants, odorous house ants are also small and brown, but are just a little bit thinner than the former. Another similarity between the two is their travel methodology, a large line. A difference between the two is that odorous house ants are not inherently attracted to food products. They also are known for trailing along counters and scaling walls. The biggest trademark of this ant is its namesake, as when you crush them, they produce an odor.
Carpenter Ants
The final of the trio, carpenter ants are larger, black ants that range from ¼’ up to ¾”. Within the same colony, you can see them range in size, and some are so big, you may be able to actually hear them within your walls. Moisture is what attracts carpenter ants around, but there is a chance that food-related products might bring them near as well. These ants have rather large lifespans, with their queen living up to 25 years and workers ranging 2-3 years on average. It is important to know that the former two ants will not cause you any property damage, but the carpenter ant will.
Do not let these pests ruin your summer plans. To get rid of any of these ants, head over to our contact page to inquire about our services and get your quote today!
