According to AntWeb, there are almost 1,000 types of ants in the United States alone, with over 200 species endemic to the country. Most of these species are harmless. They are happy to leave our homes completely alone, preferring to spend their time in America’s wilder areas.
However, a handful of species–many introduced–can wreak havoc in even the tidiest, cleanest, or newest houses. Spill just a few grains of sugar while baking, and the ants march in. Get the builders in to fix a rotten window frame and find out that the ants are busy munching away at the wood instead.
If you’re curious about which ants you could find in your house one day (and want to know what to do about them when you see them), read on!
Fire Ants
Red imported fire ants (known as RIFAs by exterminators) are a menace in the southern parts of America. They mostly live outside, so you may have encountered them while gardening or doing yard work. If you’re unfortunate, they may occasionally come inside a home looking for water.
Fire ants build telltale mound nests in sunny, hot areas. Avoid going near them unless you’re a trained professional. They are notoriously aggressive and will inflict a painful sting on anyone who touches them.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are large ants–among the largest of American ant species, in fact–and are usually colored dark brown to black. They like to establish their nests in damp wood.
In most cases, these ants prefer to live in forested areas far away from humans. Occasionally, however, they take up residence in a home, usually when timber framing has moisture damage from flooding or leaking plumbing.
If you spot large ants coming in and out of the gaps between doors or siding, you might have an infestation. They will eventually cause structural damage to your home.
Getting rid of ants like these can be challenging, so it’s best to call a professional exterminator if you signs of ants in your home.
Rover Ants
Rover ants are teeny tiny insects–less than one-sixth of an inch in length–that come inside your home looking for food. You might spot them only because you notice a crumb seemingly moving across your counter by itself.
They’re usually dark brown to pale cream in color and love sugary foods. If you leave a cup of soda out or the lid of your honey jar, you might find them hanging out on it. This imported species is considered a pest because the winged adults invade homes and establish their nests there.
Ghost Ants
Like the fire ant, ghost ants are primarily found in the warm south. These translucent white-colored bugs can’t survive the cold winters of the north. Occasionally, they’ll thrive in greenhouses or hothouses, getting there in plant pots or other imported products.
These ants build large nests inside homes, heading inside your kitchen to forage for food. They also eat dead insects. Thankfully, they don’t have a stinger, so they aren’t dangerous to health in that way. However, they do emit a foul odor when crushed.
Odorous Ants
You’ll know you have an odorous ant infestation due to the distinctive odor they give off when you crush one. Some people say the scent is akin to rotten fruit or a particular ripe blue cheese. Yuck!
Unfortunately, these tiny brown and black ants are among the most common species found inside American homes. They run over your counters and invade your pantry on a quest for food. They nest inside the structure of homes when it gets damp outside.
Keep sugary foods in tightly sealed containers, as they are particular favorites of the odorous ant.
Argentine Ants
Argentine ants, also known as sugar ants, were introduced to the United States from Argentina. These tiny ants can easily squeeze through the smallest cracks in a home in their search for food or to escape flooding.
Argentine ants can cause a severe ant problem in your home because they like to congregate in giant supercolonies. In some cases, the colonies reach up to thousands of kilometers in size.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are dark brown or black in color and can be found across the USA. They make their nests under pavements (hence the name), rocks, or other solid garden features. They also nest in under floors, in walls, or inside roofing insulation.
These hardy ants often nest near homes, coming inside to forage for food–they’ll eat almost anything! Their foraging trails can extend as far as thirty feet. So while they don’t pose a health risk, they can contaminate pantry items or food left out on the counter.
Crazy Ants
Like Argentine ants, crazy ants live in immense supercolonies and forage long distances for food. They eat other insects, love sweet nectars, and even farm aphids for their dew.
They produce an anti-venom that protects them against the toxin produced by fire ants. They are the only known species of insect to counteract another insect’s venom in this way. However, the causes of the ants’ anti-venom are unknown.
Infestations of crazy ants have been known to short circuit electronics in homes–though again, scientists still aren’t sure why they’re attracted to the wiring.
Getting Rid of All Types of Ants
If you’re dealing with a terrifying horde of fire ants in the garden, or there’s a nest of carpenter ants destroying your siding, you need to find an ant removal service ASAP. Small ant infestations might go away with home remedies, but in most cases, they’ll just get bigger. Don’t risk the health of your family, your home, and your wallet.
At Result Pest Control, we know how to treat the types of ants commonly found in California homes. If you’re a homeowner in Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, or surrounding areas, request a quote from us today.