Pavement ants are some of the smallest pests found on U.S. properties, and despite their size, they can cause huge trouble. You might not pay much attention to these little bugs in your driveway or on your sidewalk, but if you let your guard down, you could be facing a seriously stubborn infestation. Here’s what you need to know about .
What Are Pavement Ants?
To most adults, pavement ants look like nothing more than tiny black specks. measures between 1/10 and 1/8 of an inch long and is dark brown or black in color. As their name suggests, these ants are most often found scampering around on pavement in parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks. Entrances to their underground colonies are marked by small dirt mounds.
Pavement ants are common throughout the United States. They feed on a wide variety of food, including grains, fruits, other insects, and of course, the snacks in your pantry and the produce on your kitchen counter. While pavement ants tend to favor outdoor living, they have no problem exploring the great indoors in search of a good meal.
Are Pavement Ants Dangerous?
Pavement ants aren’t especially dangerous, but they aren’t necessarily harmless, either. While and sting their adversaries, the small jaws of the pavement ant really can’t deliver much pain, if they manage to bite at all.
But pavement ants can contaminate food and surfaces with pathogens. They often travel through filthy areas and can carry harmful bacteria with them. It’s a good policy to throw away any food items infested by pavement ants.
The real danger of pavement ants is the threat to your mental health. Pavement ant colonies often contain over 10,000 workers, and even killing them by the dozens will have little effect on their population.
Not to mention that pavement ant colonies are usually led by more than one queen, meaning that even if bait traps manage to poison one queen, there are typically other queens available to populate the colony. It can seem as though no matter what you do to get rid of them, pavement ants just come marching back.
These pests can be relentless once an infestation starts and without proper professional intervention, your pavement ants may be causing problems for a long time.
The Best Way To Get Rid Of Pavement Ants
Over-the-counter baits and sprays fail to completely eliminate pavement ants on the prowl. When you choose professional ant control from your friends at Green Home Pest Control, you can count on powerful, long-lasting results. Whether you’re suffering from pavement ants or any other type of ant common to the area, we’ll work with you to develop a custom plan to solve the problem. We emphasize organic treatment methods that are hard on pests, but easy on your family, pets, and the environment. To learn more about our , contact us today.
How To Prevent Pavement Ants
In the meantime, there are plenty of steps you can take to prevent pavement ants from infesting your property. Some easy methods include:
- Doing housework – Clean floors and counters regularly, being sure to clean up any food debris or spills. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
- Sealing entrances – Check for any cracks in your foundation and seal with silicone caulk. Replace damaged door sweeps and repair tears in window screens.
- Minding trash – Don’t let food waste pile up indoors. Dispose of garbage as it occurs and be sure to keep trash cans at least 20 feet away from the property.
For more information about , get in touch with Green Home Pest Control today!
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