Antagonized by Ants

Today we’re going to highlight Ant infestations that occur inside and outside your home. As is the case with most pests, Ants come in many different sizes and flavors. Some are native only to a few states (see Imported Fire Ant) while others come from every corner of the country (see Pavement Ant). The common denominator among these differing species is that they are mostly attracted to moisture and will literally eat just about anything.

Ants tend to makes their homes in places where there is a constant food source nearby, so often you will see lines of them traveling from the colony to their food source in your kitchen, your garage, or even your driveway. Ants cannot spread infectious disease; however they can contaminate food left out overnight or in your cupboard. Half open cereal boxes are a common invitation to swarms of ants. Most ants will bite in defense, as most people probably have some experience with by now. Ant venom is usually harmless, but can produce painful welts. Despite their annoyances, Ants are relatively intelligent insects, and quickly learn to establish self-sustaining colonies in a short matter of time. Ants are known to develop protective mounds for their colonies that contain intricate tunnel systems to further protect from natural hazards like flood and wind. Mounds are also used to house food stores, in the event that there is a shortage nearby, they can live on their stores for months at a time. Their survivability makes gives them unusual fortitude, and any insect with fortitude is usually more of a burden to the nearby human dweller. In some cases, there are home products for sale that are designed to eradicate colonies by tricking worker ants into bringing poison back into the colony and hopefully killing the queen in the process. There are also sprays that can be used to kill on contact… however, these sprays are not effective against colonies as they incapable of ensuring the entire colony is affected by the toxin, and they are also somewhat unreliable in “killing on contact”.

When it comes down to a serious infestation, the best option is to call for a professional pest control agent to do a sweep of your property. Ants are “in season” all year long, so the best time to call is the first time you notice lines of ants moving out of your kitchen and into the garage.

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