Learn More About the Ant Family | Pest Library

The Ant

This highly adaptable and diverse creature has inhabited the planet for over 100 million generations. Their incredibly organized social structure makes them a force in nature, capable of penetrating any nook or cranny in your home or business, where they can cause expensive damage. Perhaps the most abundant of all land animals, the ant is not a creature to be underestimated.

Fire ants, Carpenter ants, Acrobat ants, Pharaoh ants, lawn ants, crazy ants, and thousands of other types all inhabit North America. A seemingly harmless insect, ants can simply be a nuisance pest or cause major structural damage to your home or business. The worker ants in the colony forage for food—invading and contaminating your food supply—and won’t cease until the source runs out or they are stopped. Ants enter through cracks in the foundation, underneath doors, and gaps in windows—virtually anywhere in your home or building.

Ants nest in a variety of places: your lawn, inside walls, under mulch, beneath baseboards, and many other hidden places, and the few ants you see in your kitchen may be an indication of hundreds—maybe thousands—lurking in your home. DIY ant extermination products may promise to get rid of your ant problems, but the only way to truly eliminate these pests is by contacting a professional. Platinum Pest Control will safely exterminate these invaders and solve your pest problems.

Platinum Pest Threat Level medium

• bite: Medium, certain ants are capable of causing pain, swelling, and allergic reactions with bites

• allergen: Minimal to high, depending upon individual. Ants typically do not attack

• pet: Low

• child: Low

• reproduction: High

• colony: Small to large—ranging from a few dozen to several thousand

• attracted: Damp, warm, dark places and food supplies

• location: Throughout North America

Precautions & Treatment

• Avoid colonies and tightly seal food sources.

• Skip big-box treatment methods and Contact Platinum Pest Control.

• Implement spring and fall treatments to prevent further invasion.

Pavement Ants

A common pest for many homes and businesses, a Pavement ant colony is easily identified by its signature volcano-like domes that pop up on the side of the road, sidewalks, or driveways. Though seemingly innocuous, the Pavement Ant can cause major structural damage to any area. These insects are capable of excavating enough soil to cause structures and roads to sink and settle, making repairs expensive and damage extensive. These ants are active foragers, attracted to grease and sweets. That unwashed bring pan or smear of jelly could attract these invaders and contaminate your food. These ants leave scent trails for their fellow foragers to follow, so once a single ant appears, more are soon to follow. These relentless pests will invade your home and food, causing great annoyance for you and your family.

These pests multiply rapidly, and queens can lay up to forty eggs per day. Though not a medical pest, the Pavement ant is capable of biting and stinging and is an intermediate host for a kind of poultry tapeworm. They enter through pipes, electrical wires, foundation cracks, and any other crevice in your home. Once inside, these invaders are not easy to deter. Pavement ants rarely travel more than 100 feet away from the nest, so if you see a few in your kitchen, chances are, a nest is lurking quite nearby.

Platinum Pest Threat Level low

• bite: Medium, capable of biting or stinging, leave scent trails for other ants to follow

• allergen: None

• pet: None

• child: None

• reproduction: Rapid

• colony: Small to large—ranging from a few dozen to several thousand

• attracted: Sugar and grease; warm, wet, dark places; light

• location: Throughout North America

Precautions & Treatment

• Avoid colonies and tightly seal food sources.

• Skip in-store treatment methods and Contact Platinum Pest Control.

• Implement spring and fall treatments to prevent further invasion.

Carpenter Ants

One of the largest ant species, these pests can be 1/4 of an inch to 1 inch long. They invade homes in search of food, tunneling into rotting wood, insulation wood, or any other soft material. These unseemingly large ants leave behind wood shavings from their tunneling to create satellite nests. Carpenter ants eat other small invertebrates and continually forage for food throughout homes and businesses.

Though they prefer the outdoors, carpenter ants make their way inside for protection from harsh elements. In fact, when a home is infested, it's possible to hear them moving about in the walls with a stethoscope or by putting a glass to the wall. If you are seeing carpenter ants crawling about your home, chances are, there's a nest nearby. These pests cause slow damage and great annoyance for people who have to live with them.

Platinum Pest Threat Level high

• bite: Medium–will bite

• allergen: Medium, bites may warrant an allergic reaction

• pet: Low

• child: Medium

• reproduction: Medium

• colony: Large–Queens often break off to start new colonies

• attracted: Crumbs, dark, damp, secluded spaces

• location: Throughout North America

Precautions & Treatment

• Keep fire wood away from your home and tightly seal food.

• Implement spring and fall treatment to prevent further invasion.

Odourous House Ant

A native species to North America, the odorous house ant feeds on many items found in the home–their favorites being high in sugar. This common pest is unique from other ants because of its unpleasant aroma when squished. These ants will nest inside near sources of moisture and warmth, but also in termite-damaged wood. They're capable of feeding on many types of food and will invade food supply easily.

These pests won't cause any serious damage, but they do create a great annoyance.

Platinum Pest Threat Level low

• bite: Low

• allergen: Low

• pet: Low

• child: Low

• reproduction: Medium

• colony: Large

• attracted: Sugar, warmth, moisture

• location: Throughout North America

Precautions & Treatment

• Keep food tightly sealed

• Contact Platinum Pest Control