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For such a tiny creature, ants can become a huge problem. Here in Tennessee, we battle ants just about every day, and early spring is when they seem to appear inside and outside. The four ants that we deal with the most are carpenter ants, fire ants, little black ants, and odorous house ants. If you have ants invading your Tennessee home, business, or property chances are pretty good that the culprit is one of these.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are a larger (1/8-1/2 inch) black ant. These ants are usually wingless except the few winged reproductives that come out during the months of April and May. Reproductives are the reproductive members of a colony that are out looking for a mate and a suitable nesting site for a new colony. These destructive ants destroy wood when they make their nests in it. They prefer wood that has been previously damaged by water. Often the main (parent) colony is outdoors in dead or rotting wood with some satellite colonies established inside buildings. These satellite colonies are tucked away inside the hidden wood structure of any building. More often than not, there is significant structural damage to the building when carpenter ants are discovered. Getting rid of them for good requires not only eradicating all the satellite colonies, but the main colony as well.
Fire Ants
Fire ants are a smaller (1/10-1/4 inch) red, black, and brown ant with a copper colored head that has been spreading across the whole US. These aggressive ants hunt down and sting anything that they perceive to be a threat. These ants can be relocated from place to place by hitching a ride with a potted plant from a nursery or they will ‘bud’ off from a mature colony and form a new one. They are extremely territorial and will protect their area. The best way to get rid of and prevent fire ants is with a year round pest prevention program. Here at All-American, we offer a stinging and biting insect yard treatment that is geared towards stopping and controlling fleas, ticks, chiggers, and fire ants. Do-it-yourself methods are not only unsuccessful at treating the whole problem, but they are also dangerous because fire ants are a foe that you don’t want to mess with. Their sting is painful and many of them will attack at once. These ants are truly a force to be reckoned with.
Little Black Ants
These teeny (1.5 mm) black ants are not dangerous. They do not destroy wood like carpenter ants, nor do they sting like fire ants. They can, however, invade homes and businesses in very large numbers making them an issue for food storage and sanitation. These ants come inside in search of food or water. They are quite good at staying out of site so the ones that you actually do see are only a small percentage of the whole population that is coming and going into your space. These ants can be stopped completely with our home pest control services or our green pest control solutions.
Odorous House Ants
These small (1/8 inch) black ants are not considered to be dangerous either. Unfortunately however, they smell like rotten coconut when they are squished. Just like the little black ants, they are searching for easy access to food and water. Keeping these stinky pests outdoors is harder than you may think because they take advantage of any small crack or crevice that will let them inside.
Ants may be small, but they can be a formidable foe to tackle without the help of an expert. Here at All-American, we have been battling and conquering pests for our neighbors for over 50 years. We know what to do; when to do it; and, most importantly; how to do it safely. With so many do-it-yourself pest control methods at your disposal, it’s still the best idea to go with a pest control professional. Do-it-yourself methods are unreliable and in some cases unsafe. Give us a call today to schedule your free evaluation. Give us a chance to show just how great a pest free life can be.