Ants are the most common pest control problems in the country. There are many species of ants and proper identification is significant in their control. They invade the premises in large numbers looking for water and sweet and greasy food. Due to the large numbers they are a nuisance and can be difficulty to control. They nest in walls, lawn around the structure and also under the ground.
All ants live in colonies but the number differs by species.Ants May :-
- Sting and/or bite
- Invade and contaminate food
- Nest in lawns or golf courses
- Damage plants
- Kill birds, game or livestock
- Damage wooden structures
- Mechanically transmit diseases
- Swarm
They enter premises through tiny cracks or plumbing lines due to small size. Ants are often confused with termites since they also swarm and it takes a professional to identify them. For better and effective control of ants, it is always good to go with a professional.
The most common species include:
- Large black or dark brown and some reddish and black.
- Excavate wood to nest but not eat (usually moist or decaying waste
- Damage wooden structures.
- Contaminate food.
- Scattered (no single trail)
- Light to dark brown
- Does not sting but bites severely
- Mate in nest
- Many queens in each nest
- Nest in moist places
- Prefer sweets
- Forage along regular paths from nest.
- Workers clear reddish
- Fire ants bite and can be deadly to humans and other animals.
- Some people are very allergic to the bites
- Very active and vicious
- Nest in loose soil and in craters scattered or under stone, tuft or boards
- Light yellow to red
- Nests in walls, under floor, above ceilings, voids and along walks (Prefer warm areas like Ducts and hot water pipes)
- Very large colonies with many queens
- Found in homes and hospitals and are difficult to control
- Variety of foods like sweets, grease, dead insects, meats etc.
- Yellow to dirty brown
- Very small (1/25”- 1/15”) long
- 2 segmented antennal club
- Nests in Cracks and crevices of walls and cabinets
- Feeds on greasy materials, sweets and dead animals
- Difficulty to control
- Brownish black (similar to Argentine ant but darker).
- 1/12”- 1/8” long.
- Nests indoors and outdoors in walls and under floors.
- large colonies with several queens.
- leave trails.
- Feeds on mainly sweets, honeydew (comes inside when scarce).
- Blackish-brown (abdomen entirely black).
- Pale legs and antennae.
- Parallel lines on head and thorax.
- Pair of small spines at back and hairs on body.
- Nests outdoors in pavement cracks (occasionally indoors under floors or in insulation.
- Feeds on sweets and greasy foods.
Ant Control
Ant control depends on the:
- Species and Location of the Nest.
- Sanitation
- Baits
- Dusts
- Granules
- Residual pesticides (as per label).