4 Common Types of Ants In Your Home And Ways To Get Rid of Them

Rohan Mathew

Updated on:

There are thousands of different ant species throughout the world with over 700 species found in the U.S. alone. Most homeowners have a distaste for ants as they can cause significant damage to homes while posing a risk to health. If you are planning to hire professional services for ant removal Detroit, there are a few things you need to know first. This guide will enlighten you about the most common types of ants that infest homes and how to get rid of them.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are easy to identify since they are the biggest household ants. Typically recognized by being large black ants, but they can come in a variety of colors. They tend to damage a variety of wood products such as furniture and structures. They don’t actually feed on wood but simply create tunnels throughout the structures to move around. Just like other ants, they eat sugary food, dry goods and also pet food. 

When carpenter ants find a food source, they will mobilize into large numbers. They rely on pheromone trails to move around and look for food. Use spray treatment to effectively eliminate their pheromone trails in your home. Always keep your home, particularly the kitchen and countertops clean. Promptly clean up food and drink spills to prevent carpenter ants from coming.

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Little Black Ants

Known scientifically as Monomorium Minimum, Little black ants are definitely not easy to control. The queen ant lives up to a year and lays thousands of eggs during its lifetime. The young ants will be fully grown in a month which allows them to infest your home very quickly. These small ants feed on sweets, fruits, vegetables, oily food, meat, other insects and just about anything. You can find their nest in woodworks and cracks on the wall. 

So, it is important to seal cracks and prevent any possible entry points around your home. Baiting is also an effective method to get rid of them. Place the baits where their foraging trails have been seen and remove any other food sources on the way. Once the ants have started eating them, leave the bait undisturbed.

Odorous House Ants

Also known as Tapinoma Sessile, odorous house ants got their name because they release a rotten coconut odor when crushed. They have colonies with many queens and live in homes that are often temporary. They live both outdoors and indoors, thriving in a variety of conditions that make it hard to control them. It is advisable to seal up tiny cracks that can be used as entry points to your home. Keep your home clean and seal food items, so they cannot reach them easily.

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Pavement Ants

Pavement Ants got their name because we can frequently find their colonies under rocks or pavement. They are of the same size and possess a stinger. They often make their way inside homes looking for food sources and will feed anything sweet or greasy. As pavement ants have many queens, the best way to get rid of them is by using bait. You can kill an entire colony by tricking the worker ants to bring back poison to their queen. Slow acting baits may take some time to show results but are the most efficient.

Food, water and shelter are the main reasons ants come to your home. They usually go away if you are able to prevent ants from accessing what they are searching for. Proper sanitation and keeping food properly sealed play an important role in getting rid of ants. If all else fails, it is best to hire professional exterminators before it is too late.