Ant Identification
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Once you have ants within your home, it is important to begin treating the infestation quickly. The first step to treating ants will be to identify the type of ants that have taken up residence in your home. Ants can be easily identified by their three main body structures which consist of the head, thorax, and abdomen.
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Common Ants in the Southeast USA
Ants can be a frustrating pest to deal with. The best way to quickly and effectively treat ants within your home is to identify the type of ant you are dealing with. Most ants share the same general body structure but can be differentiated by size and color. Some common household ants found in Georgia and the Carolinas are:
- Carpenter Ants
- Pavement Ants
- Fire Ants
- Formica (Field) Ants
- Black Ants
- Argentine Ants
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. Signs of an infestation include small piles of wood shavings around the house, hearing a rustling sound coming from the walls of your home, and finding ants inside your home.
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.
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. Fire ant colonies are easily identified by their large mound of dirt. Due to their sting and aggressive nature, once a colony appears they need to be identified and exterminated promptly.
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. Formica ants are commonly found in areas of open soil, as well as in and 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.
Black Ants
Black ants are common throughout the southeast, 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. 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 corn meal.
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.
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.
Getting Rid of Ants
Identifying ants is the first step in treating an ant infestation, the next step is to get them out of your home. The quickest and easiest way to identify and eliminate ants is with a trusted exterminator like Rocket Pest. At Rocket Pest, we have over 65 years of expert experience in pest identification and control. Give us a call today for a quote to rid your home of any unwanted pests!
