All About Ants!

We have had a large number of calls regarding ants lately.  They are out in full force this spring!  Ants are social insects, and colonies can consist of millions of individuals.  Ants can be identified by their bent antennae and node-like structure that forms their slender waists.  The word “ant” comes from a Germanic word meaning “the biter.”  Take a look at an up-close picture of an ant’s jaws, or mandibles, and you get a better understanding of this name!  Most of us have experienced this bite at some point in our lives.  Some species of ant can also defend themselves by stinging.  This is no surprise since they evolved from wasp-like ancestors.

Ants can be found on almost every landmass on Earth, with the exception of Antarctica and some islands.  Nests are made in a variety of locations including underground, ground-level mounds, and in trees.  Carpenter ants make nests in wood and army ants are migratory and do not have permanent homes at all.  Ants can communicate with each other through pheromones, sounds, and touch.  Once an ant finds food, it will mark a trail with a pheromone on the way back to the colony.  Other ants can then follow this trail to the food source.

Ants can invade your home through even the tiniest cracks.  They will come indoors looking for water and sweet or greasy food substances.  Trying to rid your homes of ants on your own is often ineffective at resolving the problem.  Do it yourself treatments often only kill the ants you see.  More importantly, different types of ants require different treatments, so proper identification is crucial to solving the problem.  If you are having issues with ants, let one of our trained pest control technicians identify your problem to select the best treatment.  You can help control ant invasions by storing items such as sugar, syrup, honey, and even pet food in sealed containers.  Rinse out empty soft drink containers and remove garbage daily.  Also, thoroughly clean up any grease or spills.  If you see an ant trail, try to follow the ants to where they are entering the building and even to the nest, if possible.

Tags: Conyers Pest Control, Griffin Pest Control, Peachtree City Pest Control, Covington Pest Control, McDonough Pest Control

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