How to Identify & Prevent Ant Pests From Getting in Your Ocala, FL House; Acrobat, Big Headed, Carpenter & Pavement Ants
The summer is upon us and that means that people are spending more time outdoors and it also means that there are more pests out. There are many pests that love the warm weather that the summer has to offer and they tend to flourish during this time. The interaction with pests during the summer increases and the need for a more aggressive pest control does as well. One of the pests that make an appearance more aggressively in the summer are ants. Ant is a very general term and only refers to the type of pest but the amount of species that there actually are the numbers are staggering. Not all ants are common in every climate so it is always good to know what ants are found commonly in your area and how you can identify them.
Pest 911 lists the most common ants in Ocala, FL and what you can do to prevent them from getting into your home.
Acrobat Ant: These are a small ant species that are generally light brown all the way to black in color. They are most often found outdoors among fallen leaves, piles of cut grass or around wood piles. Acrobat ants like to go into areas that termites have already been and made tunnels. They are also found in homes and offices, usually in the voids of the walls. They love to feed on foods that are sweet or meats.
Big Headed Ant: These are a slightly larger species of ant and are usually a light brown to a reddish brown in color. They are found more commonly outdoors than they are indoors but can still cause trouble for you. They are found around homes in gardens and mulch piles. Big headed ants are known to walk along sidewalks in search of foods to eat. They love to feed on other insects and will venture for some sweets if they come across them.
Carpenter Ant: This is an extremely common type of ant and can come in lots of colors, from reds, browns to blacks. They like to nest around damp wood that they can chew away with their large mandibles. As the name suggests they do bite through wood but they do not feed on it. They prefer to feed on fruits and plants but will also go for sweets like many of the other species.
Pavement Ant: This is another very active type of ant that love to make their nests around the sides and cracks of concrete walkways. They are dark brown in color and they have a small stinger that they can use to defend themselves. They do like to be outdoors but are known to get in your house in search of food. They will generally feed on insects that have already died and love to find a pile of pet food left out.
How to Prevent Ants from Entering the House & Kitchen
All ants are out foraging for one main thing and that is food. If you do some basic things to seal up your food you can prevent ants from coming into your kitchen and home. Clean up counters, floors and dishes after meals and be sure that leftovers are sealed up tightly. You also want to be sure that you wipe down the outside of bottles such as honey and syrup that are usually left inside a cupboard. Lastly, you can also look for entry points and seal them up.
Ant Pest Inspections, Prevention, Control & Removal Services in Ocala, The Villages & Central Florida.
For expert pest inspections and control of ants and other pests, contact Pest 911 today!
