Ant Identification
There are more than 12,000 different types of ants worldwide. An ant colony can exist for many years. Some queens can live for up to fifteen years and lay millions of eggs in that time. A qualified exterminator is trained in identifying and eliminating all of these types of ants from your home or business. Some of the more common invasive ants that will attack your home are listed below.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are large. They can get to be up to an inch in size. They are indigenous to many parts of the united states. They prefer dead, damp wood in which to build nests. They do not consume it, however, they can cause a large amount of damage to your house as they build their nests. The most likely species to be infesting a house in the United States is the black carpenter ant. Carpenter ants can damage wood in buildings. They will leave behind a sawdust-like material called frass that provides clues to their nesting location.
Red Imported Fire Ant
Red Imported Fire Ants are one of the more aggressive species. They can also have a painful sting. This is an ant that should be avoided. Their nests will usually be mounds of soil outdoors, landscape areas, or near a building’s foundation. They will often enter buildings through holes or cracks in walls and foundation and these nests should be avoided. Red Imported Fire Ants can adapt to many climates and conditions in and around their environment
Odorous House Ant
This species is a scavenger ant that will eat most household foods. They prefer foods that contain sugar. Indoors they will colonize near heat sources or in your insulation. Outdoors they tend to colonize under rocks and exposed soil. They appear, however, to form colonies almost anywhere, in a variety of conditions. Colonies range in size from 100-10,000 and house several queens (as many as 200, in some instances). They are non-aggressive. While queens can lay as many as 20-30 eggs in single day. They are named for the odor that they give off. It is often described as rotten coconut.
Argentine Ant
This ant is originally from Brazil and Argentina. It came to America in the late 1800s. they are usually found in southern states and along the west coast. They are dark brown or black in color. They can get to be up to 1/4” in size. They like sweet foods, but will feed on most anything available. Their colonies are usually located in wet environments and they can grow to be huge in size.