Ants
Identify, Image, Tips
Recognise
The carpenter ant is 2.5 mm to 4 mm (1/10 to 1/8 inch) long and dark brown to blackish. The creature's thorax and skull have minute parallel grooves. Within the colony, pavement ant workers are all the same size and have two nodes in the pedicel.
The six legs of carpenter ants are joined by a single, narrow segment that runs from the bulbous abdomen to the smooth, uniformly shaped thorax.
Life Cycle
The queen lays the first batch of eggs once a suitable nest site is located (15 – 20). She looks after the larvae until they become sterile workers who take over all nest-building responsibilities. The queen focuses on egg production while workers hunt for food, dig the nest, and tend to the young carpenter ants. After the first brood, egg production often doubles.
When the nest is fully developed, the carpenter ant queen deposits eggs that eventually hatch into males and females that are capable of reproducing. Before the queen starts a new reproduction cycle, a nest typically needs about 3,000 workers to reach maturity.
From egg to adult, the development process takes at least 60 days. Each colony only has one wingless queen.
Colonies can hold up to 3,000 workers if they achieve colony maturity (in about 3 to 6 years).
Swarmers, often known as "winged ants," are reproductive male and female ants that leave the colony to start new, secondary colonies. They are not created until the colony is at least two years old.
Signs Of Ants Around Your Home
Small patches of grass are covered by the excavated earth, which pushes up and blocks the sunlight, killing the vegetation. You're left with unattractive patches of dead grass all over the place once the soil has settled. Additionally, weeds may begin to spread through the damaged places, and before you know it, your yard will be uneven, muddy, and disorganized-looking. In addition to the potential damage to mower blades and other equipment, the uneven surface and dirt mounds can make maintaining the yard more difficult.
Carpenter ants will leave a trail of wood shavings and sawdust behind them as they tunnel through the woodwork. When sweeping up debris from your floors, be sure to look it over thoroughly. You might need to call an exterminator if wood shavings are appearing without a clear explanation. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don't actually consume wood. This, regrettably, does not stop them from being incredibly destructive.
What To Do If Ants Are Found?
Clear the area around the house of any wood debris, Remove wood stacks from close to buildings. Retrim the surrounding bushes and trees, Make sure the gutters and downspouts are flowing freely. Crumbs and food spills must be cleaned up right away.
Can Ants fly?
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The workers, which are wingless food foragers, are the type of carpenter ants that are most frequently seen in homes. An ant worker cannot fly. Workers ants are, as their name implies, ants that work. They take care of the queen and her young, construct and maintain the nest, feed and protect the colony.
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The highest caste are the carpenter ant queens. The original, functioning queen has no wings and cannot fly. In the spring or early summer, carpenter ant colonies develop winged male and female reproductives that emerge and swarm. They marry during such nuptial flights. While the men perish, the mated females land, drop their wings, and find a suitable location to establish new colonies.
Ant TIPS & FAQ
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Vinegar-based cleaning products are helpful for ridding the pheromone trails ants use to communicate on where to find a food source.
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Garbage should be kept in sealed containers and taken outside the house.
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Keep food containers sealed or unopened.
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Never leave food or pet food out on the floor or counter for an extended amount of time.
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Screen repairs for windows and doors.
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Fix any exterior cracks and holes, especially those where utilities and plumbing enter the house.
What Attracts Ants?
These pests consume both living and dead insects, plant fluids and nectars, honeydew, syrup, jellies, sugar, salt, fruits, meat, grease, and fat, as well as other insects. They are drawn to meats, sugar, honey, jelly, greasy messes, and pet food inside the residences.
They typically enter houses and other buildings through foundational cracks and other gaps, or along tree branches that are next to the roof.
Should I Be Worries About Ants?
Carpenter ants rarely bite people, but their mandibles can pierce the skin and spray formic acid, which burns the victim. The response to Carpenter Ant bites varies from person to person and is often modest.
Even though carpenter ants can be slow-moving, you only need to see a few huge ants to know that your home is home to an established colony. You need expert pest control services to properly eradicate this infestation and keep the ants gone.
Why Pronto Pest Control?
If you got this far then just call us already :)