What Kind Of Ant Is This?
Do you know how many types of ants there are around the world? There are over 12,000 species of ants worldwide. Thankfully, most of these species do not live here in New Jersey, and of the common ants in our area, only a few are known to invade homes. Here are the two species you should know about and how to identify each:
- The odorous house ant is 1/16 to 1/8" long, brown or black, and has an unevenly shaped abdomen. This pest smells like rotten coconut when squished.
- The carpenter ant is 5/8" long, red, black, or red and black, and has a large head and mandibles. This pest chews tunnels into wood. A colony of carpenter ants can cause extensive damage to a home when left unchecked.
There are other species of ants in New Jersey. The important thing is that you know how to prevent them from entering your home.
Don't Let An Ant Infestation Go Untreated
Are ants a problem you can ignore? Yes, but only if you don’t mind your home crawling with these pests and the potential for structural damage. The biggest issue you will face if you do not get rid of ants is an increase in overall ant activity. Colonies continually expand if they have access to food, moisture, and space. If you are only seeing a few of these pests indoors right now, you could be seeing hundreds in just a few months. As for carpenter ants, when these pests go untreated, damage occurs. If you like not paying out hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars for home repair bills, these are the last insects you want crawling around inside the wood of your home.
Are Commercially Available Ant Products Effective?
There are many commercially available ant control products you can buy. The question is, are they effective? In our experience, most commercial ant pest control products only act as a bandaid to a bigger problem. They might kill these pests upon application or temporarily keep them out of your home but they will not eliminate entire ant colonies. Some species of ants have multiple queens and will split their colonies when faced with danger. If you try to use a product on a colony, you could risk it "budding," making your problem worse. The only way to fully solve your problem is to find a professional ant control solution.
Professional Ant Control Services For New Jersey Homes
When dealing with ants inside your New Jersey home, do not underestimate the power of professional pest control services. At Heritage Pest Control, we will inspect your home and property and find a solution that is sure to handle your pest problems. Once we are done removing ants, we will install an invisible pest control barrier to keep future invaders out.
Call now if you are curious to learn more about pest control in New Jersey or if you would like to find an effective solution for your ant problems. We will answer any questions you have and get your home the care it needs.