Ants are a large group of pests that we often come into contact with on a daily basis living in Florida. There are over 231 species of ants in Florida alone, greater than all the eastern states of the country! Let’s talk about just a few common species that you might come into contact with in and out of your home.
Floridian Ants
The big, the biting, the hungry!
The Carpenter Ant is one of the larger species we often see in Florida. They can often be confused for termites to the untrained eye, as they burrow through wood and can have wings. They don’t actually eat the wood, however, they burrow into wood by chewing it up and spitting it. They do this to create a safe space for their nest inside damp wood. They don’t have stingers but can bite, if provoked or threatened. An interesting fact is that they are incredibly strong, able to lift anywhere from 7-15 times their own weight. That would be like you pulling a car with your teeth! Fortunately, they usually go dormant in the cooler season and are easier for professionals to spot.
The fire ant. If you’ve lived in the south for even a short amount of time, you have probably already become aware of this invasive species. Fire ants do have stingers, but unlike honeybees that lose their stinger after one use of defense, the fire ant can sting continuously and without warning. They also release an alarm pheromone to other ants, which can sting in unison, resulting it numerous painful stings to deal with. Some people have been known to have severe or fatal reactions to fire ant bites, so it’s so important to be mindful of your surroundings for your family and pets. This is one type of ant you definitely want to control in your yard; their fluffy worked mounds of soil can grow quite large, some being as wide as 30 inches across!
One of the smallest species of ants in Florida is the ghost ant, rightfully named. They are incredibly small, 1/16th of an inch, and have a transparent body that helps them escape detection. They travel on each other’s pheromone trails attracted to sweet crumbs and spills left behind in your kitchen. It is this fact that leads most people to call them “sugar ants”. Biting or stinging is a moot point with these little pests, but they can be annoying to get rid of. Always clean up any remnants of that delicious dinner and chocolate sundae, or you may have some clever visitors sneaking in!
Keep a watchful eye
Keep a watchful eye in and around your home for these pests so they don’t become a problem for you and your family. If you see what looks like wood chips or powder outside your home, if you see “fluffy”, disturbed mounds without an entry hole, or a tiny trail of ants its time to take action.
Let us help!
Although each of these ants are a little different, they can all be taken care of with consistent and regular treatment around the home. Almost all ants live around your home and when exterior conditions go to extremes (rain, heat, etc) these bugs go looking for relief. Keeping your home sealed up as tightly as possible and applying products labeled for the control at the recommended rates and frequencies on the label, you can keep your home safe from them. As always, if you ever choose to utilize a pro to keep ants and other insects out of your home, we hope you will have us out to get it done right.
LydyBug Pest Control offers removal and protection of ants in Orlando and can help you take care of any ant problems. Our experts are fully trained and certified in pest control, so you can be sure they will safely and effectively take care of the problem. Contact us for assistance with ants today!
