Ants are everywhere. There is seldom a day you can walk outside and not run across an ant. They are spread all throughout the United States, and they are very challenging to be rid of. Ants are a valuable part of the earth’s ecosystem. But when they are invading your home, you will not find them so helpful. To get rid of the ant problem in your home, you will need to identify what types of ants are in Texas.
The task of ant elimination is one best left to professionals, and Tom Samples Pest Control is up to the challenge in Texas. Get ants out and keep them out by knowing what ants you have and the different ways they respond to pest control methods.
Common Ants in Texas
Unfortunately, ants are a common problem in Texas homes. You see, ants are social insects. They do not travel alone, which means where there is one, there are many. And unless you are on a pest control plan with your local exterminators, they will continue to be an issue. Professionals are trained to know the habits and tolerance of each type of ant found in Texas.
For example, ants live socially together in colonies, which consist of:
- A queen or queens who lay eggs for the entire colony.
- Males are there to mate with the queens and produce young.
- Workers who help raise the young ants, collect food, and create, defend, and maintain the nest.
If you didn’t know, ants are beneficial insects that help recycle organic matter and clear decaying plants and animals from the environment. Furthermore, they feed on many bothersome pests that can be a problem for humans. That said, you don’t want these decay trampling and eating bugs in your home.
So here is a list of the common ants you are likely to see in Texas. And, if you think you may have an ant problem in your home, give us a call to identify and exterminate the ant invaders in your house.
Pavement Ants
Found in the cracks and crevices of sidewalks and paver patios are the appropriately named pavement ants. Some people refer to them as “slab ants.” They are black and brown in color, with grooved lines on their head, body, and thorax. Additionally, they are identified easily by the small spines sticking out from the rear.
Since they live near homes and buildings in the driveways and sidewalks, they will quickly enter the house. They are looking for crumbs and containers of food.
Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants are just hat. They are stinky when you crush them. Some say they smell like a rotting coconut; others say the smell is like licorice. Either way, it is unpleasant, to say the least. These tiny ants are found in dark brown to black.
On rainy, spring, and summer days, they seem to be most active. And they multiply rapidly. So, if you notice these ants, it is best to get an exterminator out as soon as possible.
Acrobat Ants
If there is water damage on your property, you may begin to see acrobat ants. They are red and black and nest under rocks and in logs.
Little Black Ants
Living outdoors under rocks and potted plants, these tiny ants will come in for food. They are black, as their name says, and they are not harmful to humans.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are a vast species of home invaders. They are black, red, or yellow in color, and they primarily nest outside. However, suppose they are looking for food or water. In that case, they will enter the home and create alternate nests in any wood they desire to occupy, including furniture and the structure of your house. If you see sawdust near the wood elements of your home, you may want to check for these ants.
Red Fire Ants
Ouch! Fire ants are aggressive, as you most likely already know. They will sting anything for any reason, and boy, does it hurt. They are a dark red and build their nests out in the open, right where you could easily stumble into it.
Argentine Ants
Argentine ants are shiny dark brown or black in color with an oval-shaped body. And though they are small, they create extensive colonies. One colony may have thousands of workers and hundreds of queens. No wonder they spread so quickly.
Formica Ants
These ants are quite interesting indeed. First, they have a bump between the thorax and abdomen. Second, they are the type of ants the cartoons indicate when ants keep aphids as pets. In fact, the shepherd aphids for dinner. They do not sting, but they spray formic acid from their abdomens.
Now that you know what ants are most common in the homes of Texas, you need to see if they are to be feared or forgotten- ignored or exterminated.
What Problems Can Ants Cause?
There are a handful of reasons you do not want to interact with ants in your home. Besides them just running everywhere and driving you crazy, they can cause some real problems. Here are a few of the difficulties ants, in general, can create.
- Ants can carry bacteria and parasites on their legs and bodies. These can be transferred to food and surfaces, making you and your family sick.
- Some ants sting, and others bite. If someone is allergic to ant bites, there is a real danger. However, most people just have an annoying bite to deal with for the next few days.
- Carpenter ants will damage the wood in your home and make it unsafe.
- And some types of ants make unsightly mounds in the yard.
Clearly, you do not want to live with a colony of ants in the home. If you see ants in the house, contact Tom Samples for immediate service and an ongoing control solution.
Preventing Ants in Texas
If you have ants in your home, there are a few things you can do to help your exterminator prevent the ants from coming back. Here is what we have found works.
Inside the Home
When you locate ants inside the home, take the following precautions after you have called Tom Samples Pest Control. Keeping ants out is essential for the protection of your family, pets, and home.
- Ensure weather stripping is sufficient on the doors and windows. Then ensure screens are in place for windows you want to open.
- Store pantry items in sealed containers.
- Empty your trash cans regularly and store large cans outside.
- Sweep and mop up spills and crumbs as soon as they happen.
- Clean behind appliances for crumbs when spring cleaning.
- Identify and replace wood damage to keep decay away.
- Fix any and all leaks in faucets and pipes as soon as they are spotted.
Outside the Home
When you spot ant mounds outside the home, there are more things you can do to keep them from coming into the house and encourage them to move on from your property.
- Ensure your gutters are free of build-up and debris, pointing away from the home’s foundation. Moisture is one of the biggest attractors for ants.
- Repair leaky spigots and fixtures to keep water away.
- Clear rubbish, debris, and overgrowth from the lawn. And if there are fallen trees or rotting leaves, be sure to rake them up to keep the ants from extending their nests.
- Trim bushes and trees away from home, so they do not touch.
- Don’t bring potted plants in for the colder months unless you have inspected the soil for ant activity.
- Ensure your trash cans have lids that seal and keep them outside the home.
- Seal up the cracks of the house.
Exterminating Ants in Texas
At Tom Samples Pest Control, we have been taking care of all types of ant problems in homes and businesses throughout the Springtown and DFW area for more than six decades. Our team is proud to have the necessary knowledge, experience, and equipment to effectively eliminate your Texas ant problem.
Our ant control technicians can prevent extensive and expensive damage from occurring with early detection and ensure that these pesky insects are out of your living or working space permanently. We offer treatment services that are not only effective but safe for both children and pets. Now that is peace of mind for you and your family.
Our professional exterminators take care of any infestation issue, including bed bugs, spiders, scorpions, rodents, bees, wasps, cockroaches, ants, and other general pests.
Get a free estimate for pest control in Springtown, Midlothian, Azle, Lake Worth, Haslet, and Ft. Worth. Call (817) 915-2470 to speak to our team and get on the schedule for your ant elimination.