What Are the Different Types of Alabama Ants?

Ants are tiny yet mighty creatures that live in complex, productive eusocial colonies. There’s no shortage of ants here in Alabama, where 55+ species are found, and entomologists have recorded seeing more than 150 different species overall.

All types of Alabama ants can be considered pests, and there are three main ways they can cause harm or destruction:

1. Being present in homes and in large numbers outdoors
2. Causing people or pets to suffer allergy symptoms and other medical concerns
3. Creating structural damage to property

Let’s explore the numerous types of Alabama ants and which to look out for based on these three concerns.

Ants That “Bug” You

These types of Alabama ants are more of a bother and not so much a serious threat to health, safety, or property. They can still be unsanitary and infest your home so when you find them, they must go.

Let us know if you find the nests or a large population of these types of Alabama ants so we can eradicate them and stop them from coming back!

Argentine Ants 

This species of ant found in Alabama isn’t very harmful to people unless you have a specific allergy to them. Their bite is tiny, and they don’t have a stinger! However, they are still an annoying pest as a large, invasive species. They’re particularly drawn to moisture in kitchens and make their nests there or nearby. 

Argentine ants aren’t too picky about their habitat, though; they’re quite resilient and eat pretty much any organic material they can find. With the protection of their sturdy, dark exoskeleton, they’re a stubborn force to reckon with. Once they’re in your home, they are tough to get rid of, so you’ll likely need to call a professional to take care of them.

Pavement Ants

Based on their name, it’s easy to guess that pavement ants tend to live under (or in) pavement cracks. They also like to nest concrete slabs in your home’s structure, foundation, carports, and walking paths. 

These guys aren’t known to be as stubborn as Argentine ants, but they are about twice their size and similarly increase population numbers rapidly. Pavement ants also tend to eat many of the same foods as Argentines (a bit of everything). 

Medically Dangerous Types of Alabama Ants

Many ant species can directly harm human health, and one of the most prevalent in Alabama is the red imported fire ant. Red fire ants are a robust and aggressive force, not only when in a large group; each fire ant has a powerful bite and a venomous stinger. 

If a fire ant stings you, you’ll likely have a welt. Unlike specific species of bees, fire ants can bite and sting their prey repeatedly, and multiples tend to work together to attack the same target. Most people will only need some basic first aid care for bug bites and stings, but persons allergic to insect stings will react more severely.

Destructive Ants

The Chinese proverb “an ant may well destroy a whole dam” inspires people to work in teams and to persevere. This saying stems from the true fact that when an ant is slowly chipping away at something alone, it won’t get far very fast, but when a more destructive species (like the carpenter ant) travels in numbers, they as a massive unit can very rapidly wear down structures to cause significant, costly damage, much like termites can.

Keeping Ants Out

When ants infest your home or outdoor property, you can’t deal with them alone using store-bought or DIY ant traps; that won’t work! Fortunately, our professional pest control agents are here to help you exterminate ants and prevent their return!

At Vulcan Termite and Pest Control, we have proudly served Alabama families since 1965, and we would love to help yours, too! Call us at 205-663-4200 or contact us online to learn more about our affordable, effective pest control solutions.

Thanks for reading! Check out our pest blog to learn more about the pests and other creatures found in Alabama.