Ants

Scientists have hypothesized that Ants evolved from Wasp like creatures during the Cretaceous Period.  They are in the same insect order, Hymenoptera, as Wasps and Bees.  It is estimated that there are as many as 22,000 different species of Ants worldwide, with more than 12,500 having already been identified and classified.  There are at least 700 species in the United States, though all are not common in the southeast.  Approximately 40 species can be a more common nuisance to homeowners/landowners.  Some species, like the Tawny Crazy Ant or Raspberry Crazy Ant (identified present in the U.S. in 2002), have recently migrated to the U.S. from their native countries and are causing problems with misidentification, and incorrect treatments to control them.  The Imported Red Fire Ant, with its painful sting, is another non-native species which was accidentally introduced in the 1930s.  The Fire Ant has thrived here, becoming a large nuisance very quickly because they are aggressive toward other ant species, humans, and animals; and they have no natural enemies here.  With so many species, accurate identification can be quite challenging, but it is very important!  Knowing the species aids the pest professional in locating nest sites and how to eradicate an infestation by using that species’ known behaviors, preferred food source, preferred nest sites, etc.… to effectively treat the problem.  If incorrect pest management measures are used by a homeowner or untrained person, it can actually make an ant infestation even harder and more expensive to deal with. Some species will actually “bud” or “swarm” creating more colonies or larger colonies when they perceive a threat.   A colony can also move very quickly to another location and begin again if they determine their colony and Queen are being threatened.  In order to destroy a colony and completely stop an infestation, the Queens and workers must be destroyed.  Most measures available to the general public will not accomplish this goal and are at best killing only the ants you see, but if the source of the infestation still exists, ants may return.
 
Ants are communal creatures.  They live together in large colonies which can number up to 500,000 ants.  A colony usually contains 1 or more Queens which can live 7 to 25 years.  The Queens are the only fertile females capable of reproducing.  Drones are winged males who mate with the Queens and then usually die within days.  The majority of ants in the colony are Workers who are generally infertile females and they do all of the foraging, feeding of hatching larvae, housekeeping, colony building, and protection for the colony.  The Workers are the Ants you see most commonly following scent (pheromone) trails as they forage for food.  Periodically, new Queens and Drones will swarm and mate to establish new colonies.  This is likely the only time you will see a Queen since they usually reside in the safest, hardest to reach parts of the colony and continually produce new colony members for their entire life from their one mating flight.  The colony usually consists of a visual mound which is the entrance/exit and a tunnel system that can stretch up to 25 feet deep and cover a very wide area, even miles in some species who build interconnected super colonies.  Some species will build their colonies in unexpected places; such as behind siding on buildings, or under roofing materials or skylights, in trees, under logs or mulch, and even within the walls, timbers, and foundation of a building.
 
Ants in general are a very complex and a very beneficial insect, and as such care should be taken to preserve safe habitat for beneficial species.  They are important in removal of dead and decaying organisms, they can help pollinate and protect plants and disperse seeds, their colonies’ tunneling can help aerate soil, they prey on some other pest insects, and they are food themselves for other animals.  However, Ants become a problem pest when they invade our living spaces, indoors and outdoors, and when they do harm to people and animals, or make our environment unbearably uncomfortable. Ants are also highly intelligent, capable of communicating with one another through pheromones, and touch, and have learned to be very efficient food gatherers.  Therefore, if they discover a food source in or around your home, they are quick to communicate that and your living space can quickly become infested.  Some species have poisonous, painful stings and bites which can cause allergic reactions and even death if numerous stings are delivered to an animal or a human being.  Stinging, biting species are often aggressive and will swarm their prey.  One sting from a single ant might not be a problem, but several hundred attacking quickly becomes a danger.  Many species will forage for food inside our homes, destroying and contaminating the food we need to survive.  Some species can do considerable structural damage to homes and buildings, costing thousands of dollars, and making the building unsafe for use.   The pest professionals at Premier Pest Solutions are highly trained to identify the species that is causing you problems and eradicate that problem for you in the quickest and most environmentally friendly way possible.

Using the wrong treatment product for a particular species of ant may kill the ants that you can see easily, but it can also cause them to sense danger to their colony and they may “bud” or “swarm” in order to swell their numbers and insure survival. A successful treatment approach may involve several methods that will kill the ants you see as well as the colony they came from.

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