Common Ant Types
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Are you tired of seeing ants marching through your home? You’re not alone! When it comes to household pests, ants top the list as one of the most frequently encountered nuisances across the country. But once you have ants within your home, it’s important to begin treating the infestation quickly.
The first step in treating ants is to identify the type of ants that have taken up residence in your home. Most ants share the same general body structure, but can be differentiated by size and color.
At Rocket Pest Control, we know how annoying and worrying an ant problem can be. That’s why we’re here to help you understand these pests and get your home back to normal. So let’s learn about the different ant species and how to deal with them.
Types of Ants in the Southeastern United States
Ants can be a frustrating pest to deal with. The best way to quickly and effectively treat them within your home is to identify the type of ant you are dealing with. Different ant species need different treatments. Ants can be easily identified by their three main body structures, which consist of the head, thorax, and abdomen.
Some common household ants found in Southeastern United States include:
- Carpenter Ants
- Crazy Ants
- Odorous House Ants
- Pavement Ants
- Fire Ants
- Formica (Field) Ants
- Argentine Ants
- Black Ants
- Rover Ants
- Acrobat Ants
- Pyramid Ants
- Little Black Ants
- Pharaoh Ants
- Red Imported Fire Ants
- Thief Ants
Each ant type poses specific threats — be it the spread of bacteria from an odorous house ant or the structural damage from carpenter ants specific to Southeastern United States‘s climate and building materials. Addressing these challenges typically involves localized knowledge and techniques, such as identifying entry points unique to the area’s common housing structures or understanding the natural predators of local ant species.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants can be identified by their large size compared to other ants, sometimes reaching up to an inch in size. Like termites, carpenter ants can be extremely destructive to your home and should be dealt with quickly, as a carpenter ant infestation can grow rapidly and cause costly and extensive damage to a home.
They usually are drawn to wood that is moist or decaying but will also tunnel into sound wood. This means they’re typically in and around wood structures, such as ceilings, floors, porches, and doors. Signs of a carpenter ant infestation include small piles of wood shavings, and rustling sounds coming from the walls.
Crazy Ants
Crazy ants get their name from their erratic, unpredictable movement patterns. They are small, (about ⅛ inch long), and dark brown to black in color.
While they don’t sting or cause structural damage, they can be a significant nuisance due to their large colony sizes and attraction to electrical equipment.
These ants can nest both indoors and outdoors, often in large numbers. They are attracted to moisture and can often be found near water sources. Crazy ants are known for their ability to form supercolonies, making them difficult to control once established.
Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants are small (about ⅛ inch long), and dark brown to black in color. They get their name from the strong, rotten coconut-like odor they emit when crushed.
While they don’t cause structural damage, they can be a persistent nuisance in homes. They are attracted to sweet foods and can quickly form trails to food sources.
Odorous house ants are known for their ability to form large colonies with multiple queens, making them challenging to control once established. These ants nest both indoors and outdoors, often in wall voids, under floors, or in decaying wood.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are black to reddish black and are very small compared to fire or carpenter ants. Even though they are more of a nuisance and are not usually harmful to people or their homes, an infestation can be extremely frustrating.
A pavement ant infestation can occur when a worker finds a food source in a home, such as pet food or sweets, and leads others from the colony to the food source. These ants are found on patios, driveways, and sidewalks.
Fire Ants
Fire ants are red to dark red and are known for their sting when disturbed. Their sting can cause a burning welt to appear. Usually, people will receive many stings at once due to these ants traveling in large groups. Due to their sting and aggressive nature, once a colony appears, they need to be identified and exterminated promptly.
Fire ant colonies are easily identified by their large mound of dirt. You can find them outside in your yards, where they form mound-like hills (usually around your home’s foundation).
Formica (Field) Ants
Formica ants are quite small, ranging in size from 4 to 8 mm. These ants can come in a variety of colors, including red, yellow, brown, and black. As their name suggests, you can find them outside – really anywhere in areas of open soil, around greenery, and dead wood. They’re much less common inside a home, though, as they feed on the sweet liquid secreted by aphids (small insects that in turn feed on green plant matter), and can be observed “farming” and “milking” aphids for food.
While formica ants don’t sting per se, they do bite — and their bites are very unpleasant. They’re also capable of spraying acid from their abdomen onto a perceived threat, such as a human hand. This acid can cause intense irritation, which can make formica ants quite dangerous to have around. If you’re dealing with indoor formica ants, you’ll need to work with an ant pest control company to eliminate them.
The only way to permanently get rid of formica ants is to kill the queen, which is something that a professional will have much better luck doing.
Argentine Ants
Argentine ants are found throughout the Southeastern United States, but they’re not dangerous to humans. That’s because they’re unable to sting, and can only bite. Their bites aren’t pleasant, but they’re less intense than bites from some other ant species (such as fire ants).
Like any other type of ant, getting rid of an Argentine ant infestation on your own can be a challenge. Using a professional ant control service is usually your best option. These ants are usually found between walls, ceilings, and floors.
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Black Ants
Black ants are common throughout the Southeastern United States, South Carolina included. They’re quite small, measuring just 1.5 to 2 mm in total length, and (as their name implies) they’re usually jet black, although they can also be dark brown. Some black ants are too small to sting humans effectively, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t suffer the occasional sting from one. If you end up with a major black ant invasion in your kitchen, your risk of receiving a sting or bite increases.
You’ll often see black ants on sidewalks outside during the summer, but they can show up inside, too. That’s because they love to feed on sweet sources of food such as fruits, sugar, and even cornmeal. They’re found in any covered area in the home, such as walls, floors, baseboards, and roofs.
Attempting to eliminate black ants can prove to be difficult, as you may be dealing with a large number of them. Consider contacting a home pest control company if your black ant infestation is severe.
Rover Ants
Rover ants typically nest outdoors in soil or mulch, but can establish satellite colonies indoors. They are known for their erratic foraging patterns, making them difficult to track. Rover ants are tiny (only about 1/16 inch long), and dark brown to black in color.
While they don’t cause structural damage, they can be a persistent nuisance in homes and buildings. These ants are attracted to moisture and are often found near water sources or in areas with high humidity.
Signs of a rover ant infestation include trails of tiny ants along baseboards, windowsills, or countertops.
Acrobat Ants
Acrobat ants get their name from their ability to raise their abdomen over their head when disturbed (like an acrobat). They are small, about ⅛ inch long, and range in color from light brown to black.
Acrobat ants often nest in moist or decaying wood, similar to how carpenter ants behave. These ants can cause minor property damage by hollowing out wood and insulation. They may enter homes through small cracks or openings, particularly around windows and doors.
Signs of an acrobat ant infestation include small piles of wood shavings and a distinct vinegar-like odor when crushed.
Pyramid Ants
Pyramid ants are named for the pyramid-shaped structure on their thorax. They are small (about ⅛ inch long), and reddish-brown in color.
While not typically harmful to humans or structures, they can become a nuisance when they invade outdoor living spaces.
These ants prefer to nest in soil, often creating small crater-like mounds in lawns or gardens. Pyramid ants are primarily outdoor pests but may occasionally enter homes in search of food. They are known for their aggressive behavior towards other ant species, which can sometimes help control other ant populations.
Little Black Ants
As their name suggests, little black ants are small (typically 1/16 inch long), and jet-black in color.
Little black ants are highly adaptable and can nest both indoors and outdoors. They are attracted to a wide variety of foods, including sweets, proteins, and greasy substances. Signs of an infestation include visible trails of tiny black ants, often leading to food sources in kitchens or pantries.
While they don’t pose a significant threat to humans or property, they can be a persistent nuisance when they infest homes or outdoor areas.
Pharaoh Ants
They are considered a significant pest in hospitals and food-handling facilities due to their ability to spread disease organisms. Pharaoh ants are extremely small (about 1/16 inch long), and light yellow to reddish-brown in color.
These ants prefer warm, humid environments and often nest in hard-to-reach areas within walls or behind baseboards. Pharaoh ants are known for their ability to establish multiple colonies quickly, making them challenging to control.
Signs of an infestation include visible trails of tiny ants, often near moisture sources or food areas.
Red Imported Fire Ants
Red imported fire ants are aggressive, reddish-brown ants known for their painful sting. They are slightly larger than many other ant species, ranging from ⅛ to ¼ inch in length.
Red imported fire ants typically nest outdoors, creating large, distinctive mounds in open areas. They can quickly spread and establish new colonies, making them a persistent problem in infested areas.
These ants pose a significant threat to humans, pets, and wildlife due to their venomous sting and aggressive behavior. Their stings can cause intense pain, swelling, and in some cases, severe allergic reactions.
Thief Ants
Thief ants are tiny (usually no more than 1/32 inch long), and pale yellow to light brown in color. They get their name from their habit of nesting close to other ant colonies and stealing their food and brood.
While not directly harmful, they can contaminate food sources in homes. Due to their small size, thief ants can easily enter packaged foods.
These ants can nest both indoors and outdoors, often in small crevices or wall voids. They are attracted to protein-rich and greasy foods, making kitchens a common target.
How to Prevent These Different Types of Ants
Preventing these ants involves a multi-faceted approach, including:
- Sealing entry points.
- Cleaning up spills and other messes promptly.
- Addressing moisture issues
- Bringing in professional ant control.
Our approach to prevention goes beyond the basics, incorporating customized solutions that examine and fortify potential entry points and attractions specific to the ant varieties in your area, guided by our experienced staff. This minimizes immediate infestations and contributes to long-term results, knowing your home is protected against future infestations.
Local Extermination for All Ant Species
Dealing with ants can be frustrating and time-consuming. We’ve seen many homeowners spend lots of money on store-bought products that don’t solve the problem. DIY methods can lead to ongoing ant issues and more damage to your home.
The quickest and easiest way to identify and eliminate ants is with a trusted exterminator like Rocket Pest Control. We have over 60 years of expert experience in pest identification and control. With our deep understanding of ant behavior, commitment to safe and efficient methods, and drive for customer satisfaction, we provide a service that goes beyond mere extermination.
Get started today with a free service quote! Just give us a call or fill out our contact form here.
