5 Ants You Don’t Want at a Family Reunion

Summertime is finally here and that means families getting together, friends coming over to the house for cookouts, and kids spending time at the pool. Another thing that seems consistent each and every summer is that people are getting bitten by ants.

 

Preventing Ants from Entering Your Home

Trying to kill every ant in your house or yard almost seems impossible because when you kill one anthill, another pops up. There are many types of ants and they’re all after something different. So don’t let these tiny critters ruin your summer, and be on the lookout for these common ants around your house.

 

1. Carpenter Ants: Carpenter ants get their name from an obvious reason, they love your house’s carpentry. These little guys will find the wet spots in any parts of wood that they can sink their teeth into to start their nest and colony. This weakens the wood, causes serious problems to the foundation, and makes the whole house unsafe. These ants should be eliminated as soon as possible.
2. Red Imported Fire Ants: These ants get their name from the fiery sting they give to their victims, which leaves a red welt on the skin. They can sting multiple times, and their nests tend to be built in large mounds. These mounds can be found in landscaped areas or near the foundation of your house.
3. Odorous House Ants: Odorous house ants get their name, believe it or not, because they have a terrible odor when they are crushed. The ants have a sweet tooth and go after any foods with sugar. Although they pose no risk to humans such as stings or bites, they can potentially contaminate your food.
4. Argentine Ants: Argentine ants get their name because they’re native to Argentina. Similar to odorous house ants, they have a sweet tooth, but they are also attracted to oils, meats, and eggs. They are a risk to humans because they can contaminate foods they come into contact with.
5. Acrobat Ants: Acrobat ants get their name from their natural instinct to raise their abdomen above their head when disturbed. They love to nest under damp areas outside such as rocks, rotten wood, woodpiles, or stumps. In the house, these ants can nest in the voids of the walls. Acrobat ants, like argentine ants, have a craving for sugars and can be attracted to meats.

Experts recommend many tips to help reduce the risk of attracting these ants towards your house. Some tips include: draining any stagnant water around the house, clearing rotten wood (fallen tree branches or removing tree stumps), making sure firewood and building materials are not kept next to the house, and sealing all cracks in the walls (inside and out).

We hope that you have success in keeping your house ant free this summer!

 

Contact a Pest Control Expert from Nader’s Pest Raiders Today

If you encounter any of these pests in or around your home, contact a licensed pest control professional immediately to prevent an infestation. The professionals at Nader’s Pest Raiders specialize in pest and ant prevention for your home.

Nader’s Pest Raiders provide year-round protection from pests and allow you to use your outdoor space again. If you see an infestation of any of these pests around your home, contact Nader’s Pest Raiders today for a free home evaluation by calling us at 770-552-4943 or clicking here.