Ant Identification Guide
What are ants?
Ants are social insects that live together in large groups or colonies, and are common pests that plague home and business owners throughout the world. Ants belong to the order Hymenoptera and are close relatives of bees and wasps. Ants live together in large colonies, dividing the colony members into three groups: queens, workers, and males.
Males and queens are the only winged members of the colony. Queens are fertile females and are responsible for laying all the eggs within the colony. Males have one purpose, to mate with the queens. The workers are the largest groups of ants within the colony. Workers are wingless, sterile females that wear many hats. They gather food, care for the larvae, maintain the nests, and defend the colony.
Odorous house ants, fire ants, argentine ants, acrobat ants, and sugar ants are some of the most common species of ants living in our area of the country.
Are ants dangerous?
Most ants that we come across in our yards and homes are nuisance pests that pose no significant harm. However, ants should not be allowed to live in our homes as they will spread the bacteria they carry on their legs and body to food, utensils, dishes, and surfaces.
Some ants, such as fire ants, do pose more of an issue for people. They are extremely aggressive and won't think twice about delivering painful bites and stings to anything they view as a threat. The venom that fire ants deliver with each sting is strong enough to elicit a reaction in people. Those that are very sensitive to the venom or those that have been stung by multiple fire ants could have a severe or even life-threatening allergic reaction.
Why do I have an ant problem?
The tiny size of ants allows them to find their way into buildings easily. Ants typically find their way into our homes while searching for food. Many species of ants travel in long lines working together to collect food for their colony. They create pheromone trails to bring the workers from the nest to food source each day. Once living on your property or in your home, ants are difficult to get rid of. They live and work together in very large groups and often have many nesting sites.
Where will I find ants?
Most ants that we come across in our yards and homes are nuisance pests that pose no significant harm. However, ants should not be allowed to live in our homes as they will spread the bacteria they carry on their legs and body to food, utensils, dishes, and surfaces.
Some ants, such as fire ants, do pose more of an issue for people. They are extremely aggressive and won't think twice about delivering painful bites and stings to anything they view as a threat. The venom that fire ants deliver with each sting is strong enough to elicit a reaction in people. Those that are very sensitive to the venom or those that have been stung by multiple fire ants could have a severe or even life-threatening allergic reaction.
How do I get rid of ants?
Ants are difficult pests to avoid, control, and eliminate. If you are experiencing problems with ants in your Oklahoma, Kansas, or Arkansas home or business, let the professionals at BugBros Pest Control help. We take pride in offering the consistent and convenient services needed to eliminate pests and prevent them from returning. We dedicate ourselves to providing our customers with a pest-free environment that can be enjoyed by family and friends. We kill bugs and create #CrazyHappyCustomers!
How can I prevent ants in the future?
Let the professionals at BugBros Pest Control, in conjunction with our helpful prevention tips, help you avoid ants:
- Keep kitchen and pantries clean of crumbs and other food debris.
- Pull out appliances from the wall and clean up crumbs and spills that are behind and under them.
- Store fruit and veggies in the fridge.
- Remove dry goods from their original boxes and bags and place them in containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Repair things that allow water to collect. Fix dripping faucets, leaking pipes, or clogged gutters. Excess moisture often attracts ants.
- Inspect the exterior of your home. Keep ants out by repairing cracks in the foundation, spaces in exterior walls, and gaps around windows and doors.
- Make sure that exterior doors, basements doors, and garage doors shut completely.
- Vacuum your floors often.
- Limit eating to kitchen and dining areas.
For more information about our ant control services, reach out to BugBros today. We would love to work with you to ensure that your residential property or commercial property is free of ants and other pests!
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