Ants are a common pest that can invade your home at any time. However, with spring right around the corner, you may start to notice them popping up around your home. There are several different ant species that you may encounter, and each one has its own unique characteristics. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common ant species that invade your home, as well as how to get rid of them with the help of our team at Sigma Pest Control!
Ant Species that Invade Your Home
Did you know that there are more than 12,000 known species of ants in the world? So it’s no surprise that there are a few different ant species that invade your home. Here are some ant species that you may encounter in your house:
Black Ants
When it comes to ant species that invade your home, the most common one you will find in your home. Black ant species are usually small and black in color. They can get into your house through cracks around windows, door frames, or even pipes that lead outside of your home. The best way to prevent them from invading your home is by keeping your kitchen clean and being careful to seal up any food.
Asian Needle Ants
The next ant species that you should know about are asian needle ants. These ants are typically 5 millimeters long and brown and black in color with dark orange mandibles. Mandibles are the ant’s mouthparts. They are considered a “pest of public health importance” because they can sting and cause an allergic reaction in some people. These ants like to invade homes in the summer, so be on the lookout for them as we start to enter spring and head into summer.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are one of the most dangerous and harmful ant species that invade your home. This is because they will burrow into wooden structures and damage the wood. Carpenter ant colonies can be very large, and they often nest in trees or wooden fences near your home. If you see carpenter ants inside your home, it is best to call a professional pest control company to get rid of them.
Acrobat Ants
Acrobat ants are an ant species that invade your home in the spring. They are typically black, but some acrobat ants have a reddish color on their thorax and abdomen. Acrobat ant colonies can be very large and often nest in trees or wooden fences near your home. When they are threatened these ants will lift their abdomens above their heads resembling a scorpion. These ants are extremely aggressive and will sting if threatened.
Citronella Ants
Citronella ants are ant species that invade your home in the spring. They are yellowish in color and can be found outdoors under rocks or logs, but they will also enter homes through cracks around windows and doors. You may find these ant species nesting next to your home under a rock where there is lots of moisture from rain. These ants get their name from the lemony odor that they give off when they are under attack. They will enter your home right through the front door and are known to congregate in basements.
Odorous Ants
The next ant species that invade your home are odorous ants. These ants are small and black in color, and they get their name from the musty odor that they produce when crushed. Odorous ant colonies can be large and often nest in the ground or under objects near your home. They love to invade homes in the springtime when it is wet outside.
Field Ants
Field ants are ant species that invade your home in the summer. They are typically brown or black in color and build their nests outdoors in the soil. You will usually find these ants near your home under rocks, logs, or bricks. These ants often enter homes through cracks around windows and doors.
Knowing the type of ant that is inside of your home is crucial because the different ant species that invade your home have very different behaviors. And the best way to manage these pests is by knowing their biology and behavior. The ant species that we have talked about in this blog post are some of the most common ones, but there are other ant species that can invade your home as well.
How Ants Get Inside Your Home
There are a few different ways that ants can get inside your home. And each species favors a different approach.
- Ants can enter your home through cracks around windows, door frames, or even pipes that lead outside of your home.
- Some ant species will nest in trees or wooden fences near your home and then use these structures as a bridge to enter your house.
- Ants can also enter your home through the front door right through the entrance.
- If it is wet outside, ants will crawl up the side of your house to find a way inside.
- Some ant species will enter your home through the HVAC system.
Combating the Ant Species that Invade Your Home
When it comes to combating the ant species that invade your home there are a few things you can do. As we mentioned before, correct identification is the first and most important step in ridding your home of an ant problem. Some other things you can do to help prevent ants include :
- Seal up any cracks or openings around your home where ants could enter. This includes door frames, windows, and pipes that lead outside of your house. Install weatherstripping around doors and use caulk to seal up any cracks in your foundation.
- Remove food and water sources from the vicinity of your home.
- Ants are attracted to food left out on countertops and in the sink. And if you have a leaky pipe or faucet, these ant species that invade your home will find it very quickly.
- Keep firewood at least 20 feet away from your home and store it off of the ground so that ant colonies don’t nest under
And one of the best ways to prevent ants is by having quarterly pest control services. These services will help to ensure that ant colonies are not nesting near your home and ant species invading your house will be less likely to enter.
The ant species that invade your home can be a nuisance, but they don’t have to be if you follow these tips. Contact our team at Sigma Pest Control today for more information about our pest control packages!
