The Starting signs of Ant Infestation: Small, and with an incredibly good sense for leftovers, ants are persistent and hard to get rid of once they’ve discovered a way to a food source. As a foraging insect, its most prominent instinct is to share what they find with the colony. Once a few have snuck […]
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Pharaoh Ant
Pharaoh ants are thought to be native to the African region. Their name resulted from the mistaken belief of Linnaeus that this ant was one of the plagues of Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. This ant is found throughout the United States. Pharaoh ants have been strongly implicated in the spread of various […]
Continue ReadingOdorous House Ant
Its name is derived from the pungent, rotten, coconut-like odor given off when the worker ant is crushed. It is a native species and is found throughout the United States. Workers are monomorphic, about 1/16-1/8″ (2.4-3.25 mm) long. Their bodies are brown to black, with 12-segmented antenna, without a club. Their thorax lacks spines, with […]
Continue ReadingFire Ant
Fire ants live in colonies called mounds. It all begins with the “Nuptial” flight. Winged male fire ants take to the sky and form large masses. The winged females then fly into the swarm and mating occurs. Shortly thereafter, the males die and the fertile new “Queens” begin their search for the perfect nest area. […]
Continue ReadingCarpenter Ant
Carpenter ants get their common name from their habit of hollowing out pieces of wood for nesting purposes, often resulting in structural damage. Carpenter ants are found throughout the United States. The workers are polymorphic and large (1/8-1/2″ or 3.5-13 mm), but vary greatly in size. The queens are about 1/2-5/8″ (13-17 mm) long. They […]
Continue ReadingTawny Crazy Ants Are Taking Over
Over the last couple of years ants have become the number one structural pest control problem in the Houston and surrounding areas. At the top of this list it the Tawny Crazy Ant (Nylanderia fulva). The crazy ant was first discovered in Houston by Tom Rasberry in 2002 and at first many people in the pest […]
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