Ants

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Ants

Latin: Family Formicidae

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Common Locations:

Any livable location including lawns, walls, stumps and under your foundations.

What are Ants?

Ants live in protected colonies in soil, wood, or gardens. Their castes include queens, males, and workers. A single queen starts new colonies, and workers searching for food may invade homes and contaminate supplies.

Species like the carpenter ants and fire ants can cause additional problems than just a pesky insect. Carpenter ants can damage wood beams and ceilings and the sting that fire ants cause severe pain at the sting site.

How do I identify Ants?

Several kinds of ants exist.They range from 1/32 to almost an inch in length. Their coloration varies: yellowish, light brown, reddish-brown, brownish-black or jet black. Ants in general have three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. Most ants do not have wings but sometimes swarming winged ants are confused with swarming, winged termites.

To help distinguish an ant from a termite look for:

  • The ant’s body to appear pinched in at the waist. Termites do not have an apparent waist.
  • Ants have elbowed antennae and termites have straight bead-like antennae.
  • The forewings on an ant are larger than the hind wings, and those of a termite are all the same size.
  • Ants’ wings are either transparent or brownish and termites’ wings are milky-white or grayish and are longer than the body.
  • Ants have firmly attached wings and termites’ wings can be easily removed or can fall off.

The main type of ant is an Argentine Ant.

These ants are found in 15 states ranging from California to Florida. They are known to build huge colonies usually near a food source and will give off a musty odor when crushed. Small in size- 1/8” -1/4” long. Will contaminate food and water but are not a direct health threat.

Contact Brezden Pest Control for help with all your ant problems!

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How do I get rid of Ants?

Argentine ants nest in wood, so keeping firewood and wooden materials away from your home helps reduce infestations. Trim branches, maintain plants, and seal cracks, as ants enter through tiny openings seeking moisture or food. They can nest in lawns, walls, stumps, or foundations. DIY traps catch visible ants but not the colony. Brezden Pest Control offers effective eradication plans and provides ongoing educational resources to help homeowners stay informed about pest prevention.

Ants are common pests in San Luis Obispo. Effective control requires locating and destroying their nests, which our experts can do efficiently.

Keep Your Home Ant-Free with Simple Steps

Ants enter homes searching for food, so keeping kitchen areas clean and storing food properly helps deter them. Reduce moisture by fixing leaks and avoiding standing water. Remove rotting wood and check outdoor spots like pots and pavement cracks for nests. Seal all crevices to prevent ants from entering.