Ants are social insects that live in colonies. Some live in supercolonies that can be found all over the world. These supercolonies can have hundreds of millions or ants in them and cover many miles. These colonies can even be connected to other ones. Imagine the potential problem you might have on your hands when you see a trail of ants in your home. The sight of ants sends can be disturbing because it usually happens in your kitchen, where your food is!
Types of Ants in Pennsylvania
Studies have even shown that the total weight of all the ants in the world would equal the weight of all the humans living on earth. This makes it easy to see why ants are the most often dealt with pest by pest control specialists. Ants will come into our homes or other structures looking for food and water, for shelter or to nest. The world is home to thousands of species of ants, but if you live in Pennsylvania, you’re likely to come across the Odorous house ant, Carpenter ant and Pavement ant. Some ants can bite, or sting while others can cause property damage. Ants that have taken up residence in your home need to be dealt with by professionals.
Ant Appearance Facts
• Ants can be 1/8 to ¼ in size
• Ants have a great sense of smell
• Ants are great navigators and can carry 20 to 50 times their own weight
• Some have good eyesight, while others don’t
• Ants have a narrow waist with double bumps around the waist if they sting and one bump if they don’t
• Ants can vary in color from black, brown, yellow, red and more
Ant Caste Determination in a Colony
Because ants are one of the most common pests found in our homes it’s a good idea to understand how these colonies work. There are three types of ants within a colony. A queen, males and workers with a division of labor among the members in the colony. The queen is responsible for reproduction, the males are there to mate with her and the workers, who are sterile females, run the colony. Their duties include: looking for and gathering food, taking care of the larvae and protecting the colony. They are also responsible for expanding the colony. Workers make up the largest population of the colony. Ants will eat almost anything they can find, but will prefer certain foods depending on the species, the time of year and what the colony needs at any given time. Scent trails are left behind when a worker finds food. This trail will let the colony know where the new source of food has been located.
Ant Control
When these trails lead to your home you’ll want the help of professional to get the ant problem under control quickly and prevent problems in the future. DIY efforts only work temporarily and will do nothing to eliminate the nest. You may buy yourself some time, but they’ll be back. Contact Stewart Termite & Pest Control for any pest control needs.