Ant Overview
Ants are a nuisance and a pest. There are around 20,000 species on this Earth, which means that they are also everywhere, especially in Florida.
In order to get rid of ants, it’s essential to understand the way they work. Ants are social animals with a rigid social hierarchy, which is what makes them organized and efficient pests. There are two castes: workers and reproductive. The worker ants are sterile females. The reproductives swarm, mainly the queen. The males die quickly after mating.
GET A QUOTE NOWTypes Of Florida Ants
- Pharaoh Ants
- Argentine Ants
- Ghost Ants
- Carpenter Ants
- Red Imported Fire Ants
- Tawny Crazy Ants
- Thief Ants
- Acrobat Ants
- White-Footed Ants
- Pyramid Ants
- Rover Ants
- Big-Headed Ants
Appearance
Both females and males have wings, but the females lose theirs after mating. They use chemicals to communicate and to find food. This means that when you see one, assume there are others because the scout is likely leaving a chemical trail for the others. This also means that a nest is in a different spot than where they are often seen. They can often be mistaken for termites, but are usually less destructive.
Main Service Areas For Ant Removal
- Boca Raton Ant Control
- Boynton Beach Ant Control
- Lake Park Ant Control
- Lake Worth Ant Control
- Palm Beach Gardens Ant Control
- Palm Beach Ant Control
- Palm Springs Ant Control
- Riviera Beach Ant Control
- South Bay Ant Control
- South Palm Beach Ant Control
- West Palm Beach Ant Control
- West Lake Ant Control
- Coral Springs Ant Control
- Fort Lauderdale Ant Control
- Pompano Beach Ant Control
- Coconut Creek Ant Control
Lifecycle
Ants mature quickly. They grow from egg to larva, to pupa, to adult in less than 45 days and they have a lifespan of up to 60 days. Ants don’t do downtime and the reproduction rate is exponential.
Habitat
Now, where do they live? Outside they are relatively easy to identify because of their mounds, or “anthills.” Indoors, they often like to nest in the walls and in the baseboards separating the wall from the floor. They may also nest in decayed or rotting wood.
Control
Prevention is always the ideal step, so here are some tips before a pest control service needs to be called. Pick up food. That’s what the ants are attracted to and they are less likely to be found in clean areas. One of their favorite things is honeydew, which can be secreted by plants and certain other insects, namely aphids. Also, reduce leaks.
If ants are already inside, there are four general treatments to eliminate them. These are broadcast baits, treatments for individual mounds, barrier and spot treatments, and creative combinations of broadcast baits and individual mound treatments. Ants are the kinds of pests that have to be eliminated regularly. If treatment is not maintained, they’ll just come back in a force bigger than they were before. The best way to prevent this is to have a pest control service do inspections regularly. That way the ants never find a way in.
GET A QUOTE NOWLicensed, Trusted Pest Control Services
At Fleming Lawn and Pest Services, we protect your home or business with superior care. Unlike the “Big Pest Control companies” we don’t pay our technicians based on how many locations they treat in a day.