Ants are a common source of annoyance around homes and businesses. Most people try to rely on store-bought sprays and bait to get rid of them, but whether you see a trail of ants marching across your counter or you have fire ant hills in your yard, you need professional ant extermination to get rid of the problem.
Ants are a necessary building block in the ecological food chain. They eat dead organisms and are a key food source for lizards and other animals. Just because they are necessary outside, they don’t belong in or around your home. Once ants invade your home, they can are a pervasive pest that gets into food, within the walls, and can even spread disease.
While black ants and other small varieties are a nuisance, fire ants are a real threat, causing painful bites and allergic reactions that can be especially dangerous for children. Even worse, children are more likely to get bites because they may not see the mounds while playing outside or walking around barefoot. To eliminate this problem and protect your family, we provide the same comprehensive fire ant extermination that we do for standard ants so you can feel confident in the safety of your yard.
Types Of Ants in The Triangle
We need to know what kind of ants we’re dealing with in order to fully exterminate them. Understanding the specific species’ differences is imperative in order to craft an appropriate control strategy. In the Triangle area, these are the common species we encounter:
Have been known to nest in warm building/area around 80°F (cracks in woodwork, envelopes, bed lines, bandage packs, paper stacks, etc.)
Active year-round
Attracted to grease, sweets, and meats
Commonly use electrical wiring and plumbing pipes as paths to move from room to room
How to Manage and Control Pharaoh Ants:
Reduce stored supplies of goods
Regularly clean food areas
Regularly rotate supplies to uncover potential nests
Closely examine dripping faucets
Place baits (gels and stations) to pinpoint where these pests may be foraging. Keep in mind, spraying these areas too soon will cause the colony to split up into smaller colonies, making termination more difficult
Odorous House Ants
Identifying Odorous House Ants
Generally 1/8 inches long
Scientific name: Tapinoma sessile
Equipped with one node, 6 legs, and antennas
Can range in color from brownish grey to dark grey with a velvety sheen
Second most common ant found in North American structures
Known to be very odorous when crushed (can be crushed very easily)
Average colony ranges from 3,000 to 4,000 members with numerous queens
Prefer being near sweet areas such as flower nectar and honeydew-producing insects
How to Manage and Control Odorous House Ants:
Ensure nearby trees, branches and shrubs are cut back from the home (odorous house ants are notorious for entering homes this way)
Remove firewood and building materials from near the home
Inspect outside areas that are close to inside activity
Contact Stomp Pest Control to learn more about the pesticide product we have experienced consistent success with
Argentine Ants
Identifying Argentine Ants
Oval-shaped
Scientific name: Linepithema humile
Approximately 1/8 inches long
Equipped with 1 node, 6 legs, and antennas
Give off an unwelcoming and musty odor when crushed
Have been known to build colonies consisting of several hundred thousand workers
Can range in color from brown to a blackish brown with a silky shine
Colonies are usually located in wet environments near a food source
Colonies often merge together as one, making them tougher to exterminate
Have been known to build shallow nests under stones, beneath plants, boards, or alongside sidewalks
Will likely seek shelter when the weather becomes too wet or too dry
Originated from South America
Attracted to honeydew-producing insects, juices, nectars, and syrups, but have been know to each nearly anything
Have a history of contaminating food
Most commonly found in Southeast United States
How to Get Rid of Argentine Ants:
Inspect foundation soil and well-mulched areas with moist soil
Follow any potential trails to identify entry points into your home and/or nests
Check out nearby shrub stems and plant leaves for any honeydew-producing insects
Remove any moisture and sweet food sources
Ensure all electrical outlets are clear from intruders
Fire Ants
Identifying Imported Fire Ants
Oval-shaped
Scientific name: Solenopsis invicta
Approximately 0.094 and 0.236 inches long
Equipped with 2 nodes, 6 legs, and antennas
Can range in color from a vibrant red to dark brown
Commonly introduced into new areas through potted plants, shrubs, and trees
Have been known to gain access to buildings through HVAC systems and AC units
Typically nest in soil near structural foundations or in landscaping
Have the ability to painfully sting predators
Create and inhabit mounds
Exist in numerous forms including winged males, winged females (queen ants), and workers
Originated in Brazil
First U.S. discovery was in Mobile, Alabama
Winged specimens can fly as far as 10 miles from the parent colony
Have been known to devour other less aggressive ants
Most commonly found in Southern United States, from Texas to Maryland and New Mexico to California
How to Get Rid of Imported Fire Ants:
Keep an eye on nearby trash cans, as these ants love to infest them
Ensure nearby shrubs and vegetation is pruned and well-kept
Closely monitor all electrical outlets for unusual activity
Ghost Ants
Identifying Ghost Ants
Give off a coconut-like odor when crushed
Are unable to sting, as they have no stingers
Colony sizes range from medium to large, with multiple queens distributed across existing nesting sites
Have been known to feed on dead insects
Most commonly found in kitchen areas of homes
How to Get Rid of Ghost Ants:
Ensure kitchens and moist areas are well-monitored
Maintain a well-groomed yard with little to no debris
Closely monitor electrical outlets for unusual activity
Overturn and rotate rocks and other objects used for landscaping
Black Ants
Identifying Black Ants
Unevenly rounded
Scientific name: Monomorium minimum (Buckley)
Approximately 1/16″ long
Equipped with 2 nodes, 6 legs, and antennas
Can range in color from dark brown to jet black, though they’re typically jet black
Most commonly encountered between June and August
Typically found in Eastern United States and Southern California
Have been known to feed on grease, fruits, meats vegetables, oil, sweets, plant secretions, and corn meals
Commonly found in wooded areas, under rocks, in rotting logs, in woodwork, and masonry
Equipped with a stinger, but cannot actually sting due to their stingers being so weak
Have been known as one of the hardest species to exterminate
How to Get Rid of Little Black Ants:
Store firewood at least 20 feet from your home, though further away is more ideal
Regularly rotate and overturn rocks and other objects used for landscaping
Monitor any cracks in nearby cement and holes or crevasses in cement or masonry
Closely monitor electrical outlets and telephone jacks for unwelcomed visitors
Contact Us for Ant Control in Willow Springs
Customer service is our highest priority, and we are dedicated to ensuring every customer is satisfied our pest control. To achieve that, we offer a comprehensive Six Step Process, low prices starting at $15/month, and extensive guarantees. In addition to ants, our service also rids your home of spiders, roaches, and mosquitoes along with other pests and vermin. We take pride in providing reliable solutions so you can enjoy a healthy, pest-free home.
To schedule service or learn more about our ant extermination and control methods, call (919) 231-3292 or fill out our form below to request a free quote.
Request a Free Quote
Call (919) 231-3292 or fill out our form below to schedule a consultation.
Generally 1/16 inches long
Generally 1/8 inches long
Inspect foundation soil and well-mulched areas with moist soil
Oval-shaped
Give off a coconut-like odor when crushed
Unevenly rounded