Ants are the leading pest problem in the United States, as the persistent scavengers are always on the lookout for two things. The first is food. Ants will enter your home using cracks around doors and windows, or through holes made for wires, looking for sugary foods, meats, cheese, vegetables, greases and oils, or even dead insects. Ants also seek moisture, and even damp, rotting, or moldy wood can cause an ant infestation. Once ants find something they like indoors, their colony grows rapidly because juvenile ants grow into adults in just days.

Of the thousands of species of ants, 4 species in particular cause the most problems in the United States:

Carpenter Ants: These are about 5/8” long. They make their nests by burrowing into damp wood, and then moving on to damage solid wood.

Red Imported Fire Ants: These ants range from 1/8” to 3/8”, and have painful stings. They make their nests in large mounds, entering homes through small cracks.

Pavement Ants: These are 1/8” long, and nest in cracks inside concrete.

Pharaoh Ants: These are 1/16” long, and can be found in crowded areas, such as nursing homes, apartment buildings, and restaurants. In hospitals, they can spread Staphylecoccus and Psuedomonas infections.

Some ants have wings and are often mistakenly identified as termites. Remember, ants have narrow mid-sections while termites tend to have a more uniform body.

You need to know what type of ant you’re up against, in order to find their nests and combat them. That’s why D&J Pest Control personally analyze your pest problem free of charge, to get you the fastest and most effective results in your area.