Crawling Insects Pest Control Ann Arbor
Ant Removal
From our very childhood we have seen, rather encountered, ants in our homes, schools, offices and on-road. They live in colonies consisting of a few to about a million ants. Most common of them seen in Michigan and the area of Northern USA is the carpenter ant. They are also sometimes called household ants. You need to use some exterminator for ants to get rid of them.
Getting the house free from ants to need some knowledge regarding the species that invade your homes. Here are the list and description of some common ants that swarm around us.
Common Ant Species
Carpenter Ants
- Appearance – These types of ants are very common in these parts of the USA, especially Michigan. They are about one-fourth to three-fourths inch in size and are generally black, red or a combination of the two in color.
- Biology – During the season of swarming, the normally crawling insects can fly. They collect in swarms to build the homes in dead logs or woods and bamboo poles or places where they can find a lot of moisture.
- Prevention – Before looking for pest control services, you can try some of the simple methods listed here to prevent the swarming of carpenter ants in your home. As these stocking ants have an affinity for moisture, make sure that there is no stagnant water in the vicinity of the home. Avoid log woods in the vicinity of your home. Also, try plugging holes and crevices in the walls and floors.
Pavement Ants
- Appearance – Compared to carpenter ants, pavement ants are smaller in size. They measure about is one-eighth of an inch and are dark brown or black in color. The queen or swarmer is about double the size of the worker and has the capacity to fly. To get a clear indication about the presence of these ants you can contact a professional critter control in Michigan
- Biology – these ants can build their home almost anywhere. In mud, sand, under the pavement or house. They feed on almost anything from grains, grease or animal food or anything.
- Prevention – You can seek the help of pest control companies to prevent ants from infesting your home. But simple few measures like avoiding storage of log woods inside a home or eliminating standing water can also help.
Odorous house ants
Appearance – They are the tiniest member of the ant family being black or brown in color and very odorous if crushed.
- Biology – Any place in and around your home is a perfect place for the odorous ants to build a nest. It may be sand, stones, logs, grass fields, forests, pastures, bogs, and homes. As they are types of wanderers, their nests are not very well defined. Their nests do not have any particular shape or size. They even lack any depth.
- Prevention – The odorous house ants feed on anything and everything ranging from nectar, honey, waste from other animals, cooked vegetables, milk and milk products, fruit juices, cakes, and bakery products and a host of other things. Keeping them away from your home is therefore next to impossible. You can call pest control if things get out of control, but certain preventive measures can surely keep the menace in check. To keep them away you need to keep your home neat, clean and dry. Do not let water stand in or near your house. Trees and plants around you must be trimmed regularly. Regularly repair your house to keep it cracks and crevices free. And do not stack firewood in or near your home. These are the places that the odorous house ants choose to build their nest.
Field Ants
- Appearance – Though they look almost like the carpenter ant, field ants are a bit bigger in size. A worker field ant is anything between one-fifth to three-eighth of an inch. They are black, brown or red in color.
- Biology – Field ants normally do not attack your home. Actually, they prefer to stay in the forest or the garden of your home. They prefer to build their nest int the soil, under rocks or under piles of wood.
- Prevention – Keeping your home dry and clean help. In the case or large-scale infestation, you may think of calling a home pest control. Do not let water stand in or near your house. Wood piles or rock piles must be kept away from your house.
Ant Removal Tips
- Keep Things Clean and Dry – As scavengers like ants invade your home to look for food and water, keeping your home dry and clean help.
- Try Vinegar – Vinegar is a mild acid and acts as a replicant to ants. If you are not ready to bear the professional pest control cost, mix vinegar with the same amount of water and spray over ant mound and trails.
- Baby Powder – Ants cannot tolerate the smell of scented talcum powder. So, dusting an ant trail with baby powder will remove them.
If the above-mentioned remedies do not work, call Pest Control in Ann Arbor, and they are always ready to help.