They are the largest of all ant species, ranging from 1/8 to 1 inch long, with slightly larger sized queens. Carpenter ant identification hinges on colour. They’re typically black in colour but some species can be found in red and black, solid red, or brown. Meanwhile, you could also contact us for experienced help in carpenter ants identification.
Hymenoptera
Camponotus spp.
Interesting carpenter ant facts include that adult winged females lose their wings soon after mating. Elsewhere, all worker carpenter ants are wingless. Mature colonies range in size from several thousand workers, to upwards of 10,000 – 15,000. Additionally, black carpenter ants complete their life cycle in roughly 60 days.
Carpenter ants are social insects that can usually be found nesting in wood. This ant species doesn’t eat wood, but does excavate galleries for their nesting areas. Carpenter ants and carpenter ants with wings actively feed at night and the early morning hours, preferring to snack on sugary solutions.
Because they nest in wood, the key to carpenter ant control is making sure any decaying piles of wood are removed from the property. All food items should be stored in sealed containers and any food spills should be cleaned up immediately. Because it’s difficult to locate and provide treatment for carpenter ants, a pest control company is your best bet at eliminating this problem. Contact us to find out more about carpenter ant control.
Pavement ants are 1/16 to 1/8-inches long and have lighter coloured legs with a dark body coated in stiff hairs. They have two small spines on the back portion of the thorax, and two nodes in their petioles.
Hymenoptera/Formicidae
Tetramorium Caespitum
The developmental time from egg to adult for pavement ants is 36 to 63 days. Located indoors, the swarmers can emerge anytime. Outdoors, they’ll usually emerge in the summer months of June and July.
Pavement ants nest outdoors under flat stones, sidewalks, concrete slabs, and along curbing. They invade structures in search of food, and are a particular problem in areas where slab-on-concrete construction is prevalent. Once inside structures, they nest in walls, insulation, floors, and will find their way to heat sources in the winter.
Wondering how to get rid of pavement ants? Remember that pavement ants are especially attracted to sweets. Therefore, sugary and protein-based baits are the best ways of ridding your property of them. Baits should be placed where ant trails have been established and in locations where the ants have been sighted. When a nest cannot be located, a barrier spray treatment should be applied to foundations and the soil adjacent to the building. This is effective in repelling foraging workers, as well as preventing them from re-entering the structure. Contact us to find out more about how to get rid of pavement ants.
The pharaoh ant is small relative to the species, measuring from 1.5 to 2 mm (1/16th to 1/12th an inch) in size. The workers are all one size (monomorphic). The pharaoh ant’s colour varies from golden yellow to reddish. Pharaoh ants originated in and derive from the tropics meaning they cannot survive the Canadian climate year-round.
Hymenoptera/Formicidae
Monomorium Pharaonis
Females mate and procreate in nests, and new colonies are formed by “budding”. Budding is when part of the main colony migrates to a new location, meaning there can be up to hundreds of thousands of ants in one widespread colony.
Other interesting pharaoh ant facts include that females produce 350-400 eggs in their lifetime. The entire life cycle is completed in 38 to 45 days. The lifespan of workers is approximately nine to ten weeks, while queens live four to twelve months.
Pharaoh ants nest in a wide variety of locations within a structure and are very difficult to target and control. However, it is useful to look near sources of water and food. They typically nest in warm, hard to reach areas such as walls, splashboards of kitchen countertops, and in-wall sockets.
Pharaoh ants prefer to indulge in meats or greases, but will also feed on sugar syrups and jellies.
Wondering how to get rid of pharaoh ants? Pharaoh ants must be treated by using protein and sugar baits placed as close as possible to the nesting areas. Above all, it is very important not to use any insecticide sprays or dusts as this will stress the colony – causing it to split and spread, making the problem much more difficult to contain. Contact us to find out more on how to get rid of pharaoh ants.
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