ANTS
When ants become a problem, we provide the solution!
Ants use their antennae to communicate, feel, and smell. These two antennae are what allow them to walk in a straight line, find ants in their colony, and what lead them straight to those crumbs in your home. Horn Pest Management recognizes ants’ patterns and uses that knowledge to eliminate the problem!
Ants are everywhere. It can often be unavoidable. Ants can find their way into your workplace, school, and home! Horn Pest Management utilizes various techniques with highly trained employees to ensure that ants won’t be a problem for you. Using our family and pet-friendly solutions, we guarantee eliminating the pest while providing high-quality customer service. Our first goal is to ensure that your home is safe and pest-free!
Call us today! When we arrive for the first appointment, our highly trained employees will survey the area, provide a breakdown of what they see, and answer any questions you may have. All of our services are guaranteed and warrantied!
Types of Ants:
Often ants are categorized as black or red ants. However, many ants can pose a problem and quickly invade your home or workplace. Ants have a pattern of behavior. This pattern is learned and mastered by our employees so that we can dissect your pest problem and navigate a solution.
There are more than 700 ant species found in the U.S, but only approximately 25 species infest our homes.
Ants are social insects, living together in “bug communities” and typically in underground colonies. Made up of workers and a queen, ants eat practically any food but are especially attracted to sweets.
Ants are different than termites and other insects. Ants are identifiable due to their three distinct body regions: head, thorax, and abdomen, as well as antennae. Ants will always have a narrow waist and elbowed antennae; if they have wings, they will be two pairs, with different sized pairs.
Despite being related, and sharing similar features, ants vary in overall appearance. Although there are many common names for ants: Sugar Ants, Mounding Ants, Fire Ants, etc. They are very different, and these differences are significant.
Acrobat Ants
These tiny, black, or yellow ants get their name from their ability to raise their abdomens over their thorax and heads. Acrobat ants can enter your home through the smallest cracks in doors or windowsills.
Argentine Ants
The Argentine ant is an introduced species, meaning it was brought over from another country. This small, light to dark brown has spread from South America and is now found in California, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, and North and South Carolina.
Introduced to Arizona from California, these ants will invade in tremendous numbers, making the spaces they inhabit impossible to be comfortable in. In addition, argentine ants do not like the heat of the day. Therefore, they will go deep into the soil when temperatures climb over 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid elevated temperatures. So, if you only see ants in the morning but not throughout the day, you are likely dealing with the Argentine Ant.
Carpenter Ants
One of the most common types of ants found in the United States, carpenter ants get their name from their ability to tunnel into wood to build their nests. Unfortunately, carpenter ants attract damp or damaged wood, so if you have these ants in your home, it could signify a water leak.
These ants do not consume wood, like their termite cousins, but if they find rotting or damaged wood, they will excavate it to create chambers. If left alone, they will develop “satellite” colonies, each capable of creating havoc on your home.
Crazy Ants
The crazy ant gets its name from its erratic, fast movements. These small, dark brown to black ants are often found near electrical equipment because they are attracted to the heat.
Odorous House Ants
The odorous house ant gets its name from the firm, rotten coconut-like smell it emits when crushed. These small, brown to black ants are often found near water sources, such as sinks and drains.
Unlike the Argentine Ant, the Odorous House Ant is not sensitive to heat. They will continue to forage and trail no matter the outdoor temperature. So if you see small ants outside in the middle of the day, they are probably the Odorous House Ant.
Indoors, the Odorous House Ant will build their nests inside wall voids, especially around hot water pipes and heaters. These ants prefer to be outside and only invade the interior of homes when food on the exterior is scarce.
Pavement Ants
The pavement ant is one of the most common in the United States. These small, black to brown ants get their name from their nests, which are often found in cracks in sidewalks or pavements.
Pharaoh Ants
The Pharaoh ant is a small, yellow to light brown, and with a dark brown or black abdomen. These ants are often found near food sources, such as kitchens, and are attracted to sweet foods.
These small and light-colored ants can become big problems in hospitals and care homes. They will get into IV bottles and contaminate dressed wounds. Pharaoh Ants are difficult to control because they are susceptible to their environment.
Piss Ants
Piss ants are small. Black ants emit a foul-smelling odor when crushed. These ants are often found near garbage cans or areas where food is present.
Sugar Ants
The sugar ant is small, black, and attracted to sweet foods. Sugar ants are often found in kitchens or pantries.
Thief Ants
The thief ant is small, light brown, and attracted to sweet foods. Thief ants are often found in homes or businesses.
White-footed Ants
The white-footed ant is small, black, and with a white foot. These ants are often found near water sources, such as sinks and drains.
Fire Ants
The fire ant is a small, red ant with a black abdomen. These ants are often found in the southern United States and are attracted to sweet foods.
Fire ants are some of the most well-known ants. They have earned their name and reputation because of the painful bites and stings they inflict on their victims. The Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) is incredibly aggressive and is found throughout the Southern States, but not so much in Arizona.
Harvester Ants
The harvester ant is small, black, and attracted to sweet foods. Harvester ants are often found in kitchens or pantries.
They build their nests in the ground and generally have one of two different appearances, red or black. You can observe these ants outside, spreading out to forage for seeds, dead insects, and tender plant parts, which they utilize as food.
Rover Ants
The rover ant is small, black, and attracted to sweet foods. Rover ants are often found in homes or businesses.
They will appear inside and outside, following underground pipes into structures, and then be seen in bathrooms, kitchen islands, laundry rooms, or any other place they can emerge from beneath the soil.
These ants require a careful and well-planned approach to control; one product (bait, liquid sprays, dust) is often not enough to hold their activity. Instead, several different products must be combined, along with the consideration that each must work in concert with the other.
What’s Next: Call Horn Pest Management
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