Ant Control & Extermination

Identifying Ant Species, And Customizing A Solution That WORKS

Do You See Ants In Your Home?

At any given time, about 10% of an ant colony will be foraging outside of the nest area.

This means that what you can see is only a small portion of the total infestation invading your home.

It's also important to remember that some species of ant can set up multiple colonies in your home -- or may even be invading your home from a colony located outside.

When ants infest a home, it can be a disturbing and frustrating experience. These tenacious creatures can spread throughout a home, ruining food, startling residents, and potentially causing serious issues.

Hiring a highly qualified, local pest control professional is key to eliminating an ant infestation in a home. Depending on the species and size of the nest(s), extermination can take as little as a day.

Can "Do-It Yourself" Methods Work?

Many homeowners will try to solve their ant problem themselves before calling in a professional.

Recently, a scientific survey was conducted to find out what kind of success rate homeowners had when taking on the problem on their own.

The study found that 70% of residents who conducted their own ant control had a 10% success rate. Those hiring a professional reported a success rate of 63% -- which means there's a lot of pest contractors out there that aren't doing their job!

Improper use of sprays and ant repellents can actually cause some ant colonies to grow and multiply. If you have an ant infestation in your home, it's important to hire a pest control professional -- one that you can trust to get the job done.

Schedule A Quote

Your local NAPCA Specialist is trained and experienced in all indigenous ant species in your area, and can provide you with an effective, lasting solution for your problem.

To schedule an ant control quote, contact us by phone or e-mail today. We'll get you in touch with the NAPCA member in your neighborhood, who can schedule a visit at a time that's convenient for you.

Ant Entryways Into Your Home

Cracks & Openings In Concrete
Branches That Touch Your House
Gaps In Windows & Doors
Ivy Growing On Walls
Holes Around Water Spigots
Firewood
Mulch Piles Against Homes
Electrical Lines

Common Ant Species In North America

North America has about 700 species, 40 of which are pests. Below are the most common species:

(Click for more information about each species.)

Acrobat Ant	Fire Ant	Pharaoh Ant
Argentine Ant	Ghost Ant	Pyramid Ant
Big-Headed Ant	Large Yellow Ant	Small Honey Ant
Carpenter Ant	Little Black Ant	Thief Ant
Cornfield Ant	Odorous House Ant	Sidewalk Ant
Crazy Ant	Pavement Ant	White-Footed Ant

Each species of ant is a unique pest in your home -- there's no "one size fits all" solution for ants.

Some ant species have dozens of queens or more, while others have just one queen. Some ant species are nocturnal, while others can be found foraging hundreds of feet away from their nest.

Ant species also vary drastically in colony size and their reproductive behaviors. Fire ants, for example, can produce more than 500 offspring in two days.

How Ants Affect Your Home & Family

Depending on the species, ants have a variety of impacts on homeowners. Some ants, including carpenter ant species, can damage furniture, insulation and wood.

Fire ants can inflict painful (and potentially deadly) stings on humans, while creating a fire hazard by nesting in computers, air conditioners, and other electrical units.

While their sting is not deadly, odorous house ants can create foul, unpleasant odors when crushed, while pharaoh ants infest a home by the thousands! Studies have also found that pharaoh ants can cross-contaminate surfaces and people with disease-causing bacterium.

To Sum It Up: Each species brings its own specific types of grief to your home. No matter what species you have, ant colonies should be eliminated quickly -- before they establish themselves.

"What Are They Biting On Today?"

This old fisherman's mantra applies to ant colonies as well -- placing ant baits isn't as easy as it sounds! Even experienced pest control experts find this one of the most challenging parts of controlling ants in a home.

When placing ant bait in your home, your expert takes these factors into consideration:

What species of ant are they dealing with?
Each species has its own food preferences, and multiple species of ant may be simultaneously infesting a home.

What time of year is it?
Ants prefer protein-based foods in the spring (the queen uses the protein when producing her eggs), and carbohydrates and "sweets" in the late summer (to get ready for the winter months).

How large are the ants?
When using granular ant bait, the grains must not be too large for the ants to easily carry and consume. If they grains are too large, the ants might hoard the grains in their nest, but they're unlikely to eat them.

What is the competing food source?
The pest control expert will need to be sure that their bait isn't less desirable than the ant's current food source.

Fire Ants

Red imported fire ants first entered North America in the 1920's, and have been spreading like "wildfire" since. As of 2006, they inhabited more than 300 million acres of land -- an area about twice the size of Texas.

Each year, 11 million Americans are stung, and $2.7 billion is spent on fire ant control.

Fire ant stings cause pain and swelling, and can have dire consequences to those who are allergic to their bites.

Allergic reaction symptoms include sweating, slurred speech, chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling, nausea, vomiting, and anaphylactic shock.

At least 80 human deaths have been attributed to fire ant bites.

Ant Treatment Methods

The key to treating ants is using the correct tools, in the correct manner, at the correct time.

Your pest inspector should spend some time watching their behavior to determine the source, extent, and severity of the infestation.

They should focus on which foods they're attracted to (sweets or proteins), where their trails are, and where their nest(s) are likely to be located.

Eliminating The Colony's Resources

To survive, ants will need conditions conducive to their survival and presence in your home. This includes a source of food and moisture.

Sealing food sources, fixing plumbing leaks, scheduling feeding times for pets, and other techniques may be central to controlling ants.

Eliminating Access To The Structure

Many ants invade a home while maintaining a nest outdoors. Taking action to eliminate their entryways into your home is sometimes a simple way to end an otherwise serious infestation.

Placing Ant Bait Properly

The key to eliminating an ant infestation is getting ants to find and accept bait. This is a process that takes training, and familiarity with indigenous ant species.

Using the wrong baits and repellents can actually cause new colonies to break off from the original, making the problem worse.

Contacting A Local Ant Control Expert

NAPCA Members are recruited from the finest pest control specialists in North America. Each of our specialists is certified, experienced, and long-established as an industry leader within their service area.

To schedule a pest control quote to exterminate ants or any other pests in your area, contact us by phone or e-mail today! We'll put you in touch with your local NAPCA member, who is qualified to help you.

Schedule A Quote

Related Pages

Acrobat Ant

These ants are light brown to dark brown in color, and prefer grease/protein foods, as well as sweets.

Acrobat ants build their nests in soil, leaves, or wood. They also nest in buildings, in insulation, abandoned termite or carpenter ant nests, and voids in construction.

Argentine Ant

These ants are shiny and brown in appearance, and feed on a wide variety of foods but prefer sweets, fats, and oils.

Argentine Ants are moisture-loving ants that live under logs, debris, and mulch, as well as under concrete slabs. During the winter months, they're known to move their large colonies indoors.

Big-Headed Ant

These ants are of many species, and range in color from light brown to a dark, reddish-brown coloration. They feed on a variety of foods, but prefer protein, grease, sweets, the bodies of dead insects, and seeds.

Big-headed ants prefer to live outdoors, and rarely nest indoors. Colonies can be found living under logs and firewood, in mulch piles, and under concrete slabs.

Carpenter Ant

There are many species of carpenter ants, and their appearance and size can vary greatly, depending on the area.

Carpenter ants build their nests in wood and/or insulation, but do not eat these materials. They are nocturnal foragers, feeding on honeydew, insects, and the juices of plants and fruits. Their diets are divers and include proteins, meats, sweets, and grease.

Cornfield Ant

These ants range in color from brown to black, and prefer to eat sweets.

Cornfield ants prefer to nest outdoors, living in homes only in unusual occasions. Nests are common in lawns, under rocks, and in gaps or cracks in outdoor concrete slabs.

Crazy Ant

Crazy ants are brown, and are most easily identified by their erratic, "crazy" movement pattern. They feed on a variety of foods, preferring insects, seeds, honeydew, sweets, and proteins.

These ants are able to live in both dry and moist areas, and often nest far away from their foraging area. Nests are common in trash barrels, under logs and stones, and in rotten wood. They are commonly found in convenience stores, gas stations, and outdoor eating areas.

Red Imported Fire Ant

Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) have red upper bodies and a dark brown to black abdomen. Their diet is varied, including proteins, oils, sweets, seeds, plants, and honeydew. They are known to prey on many other species of pest insects.

These ants are spreading quickly over the southern states, and is advancing quickly across North America. RIFA nests resemble round mounds of soil, and should be avoided, as their sting is painful and can cause a strong allergic reaction in some individuals.

Ghost Ant

These ants have a dark front half of their body, and a pale back half. They are protein loving insects, preferring to feed on dead insects and sweets.

Ghosts ants are moisture-loving, often nesting under stones and logs outdoors, as well as in plant pots. When living indoors, their nests are often located in wall voids, cabinets, and behind baseboards.

Large Yellow Ant

Also called the Citronella ant, these ants are large and yellow (or orange) in color. They eat a wide variety of foods, but are extremely reluctant to accept baits.

These ants are most often seen in a home in the spring or fall months, and are known to swarm in crawl spaces. When outdoors, they nest under rocks, logs, and concrete slabs and can be very difficult to locate.

Little Black Ant

As their name implies, these ants are small and black in color. They eat a variety of foods, but prefer sweets, oils, and fats.

These ants are common in houses, and nest in woodwork (particularly if the wood is decaying), masonry, wall voids, and under carpets. Outdoor nests can be found in mulch, or underneath rocks or logs.

Odorous Ant

One of the most undesirable of species, odorous house ants are dark brown to black in color, and release a strong, bitter odor when crushed. They are sweet-loving insects, but also like dead insects, meat, and honeydew.

When infesting a house, they are moisture-loving, and often nest around hot water heaters and water pipes. Outdoor nests are shallow and can be found underneath stones and concrete slabs.

Pavement Ant

Pavement ants are dark brown in color, and are typically about 1/8" in length. Food preferences include grease, sweets, and proteins -- including dead insects and cat food.

These ants build their nests along sidewalks, stones, brick, and foundation, as well as close to firewood and mulch piles. Foraging ants may invade the home while nesting outside.

Pharaoh Ant

This species is most common in the southern states, and is a yellow color with a reddish abdomen. This is a grease and protein-loving species that prefers dead insects and meat.

Colonies of pharaoh ants can become extremely large, with many queens and budding colonies emerging. Nesting sites can be found in wood, baseboards, and wall voids, and particularly near warm areas with high moisture levels.

Pyramid Ant

There are two species of pyramid ant. One is red and black, and the other is brown. Food preferences include oils, sweets, proteins, and fats.

These ants are rarely found indoors, preferring to build their colonies in soil, with simple mounds in direct sun. Often found coexisting with fire ants, they sometimes forage indoors.

Small Honey Ant

These diminutive ants are typically light to dark brown in color, and are a sweets-loving species.

Small honey ants are not typically found indoors. Outdoor nests are generally built in the shade, under shrubs, in landscaping beds, or under slabs along expansion joints. Very tolerant to cold weather.

Thief Ant

Thief ants are light brown or yellow in color, and prefer protein and grease in their diet, as well as food and larvae stolen from nearby ant colonies.

When found indoors, they nest in wall voids and along baseboards. Outdoor colonies can be found under rocks or logs.

Sidewalk Ant

Also known as turfgrass ants, these ants are light brown to dark brown or black in color. They feed on a variety of foods, but prefer sugars, fats, and proteins, including other insects. They are known to maintain honeydew-producing insects such as aphids.

Colonies of this species are large, and can include multiple subcolonies. They are most often found outdoors, building mounds on lawns and gold courses. With high-cut turf, this is considered a beneficial species, as it commonly preys on other insects and eggs. On low-cut turf, they can be destructive to landscaping.

White-Footed Ant

This species has a dark brown or black body, with pale or light-colored ends (tarsi) on their legs and antennae. This is a sweet-loving ant that is primarily found in Florida and Hawaii. When disturbed, they are known to run in small, erratic circles.

Colonies of this species are vast -- nests containing one million ants and hundreds of queens present, are not uncommon. Nesting sites can be centered in trees, heavy vegetation, or around any object on the ground, as well as in dead wood cavities in trees. When indoors, they are known to nest in wall avoids and plants.