Ant Exterminator

Behavior, Diet & Habits

When outdoors, acrobat ants nest near moisture. For instance, they nest under stones, in stumps, in rotting logs, and under woodpiles. When they invade homes, acrobat ants often nest in damp areas. They can be found in foam sheathing behind siding, and in some cases, nesting in a roof near a leaking skylight.

Acrobat ants often nest in wood that termites or carpenter ants have damaged. It is common for acrobat ants to clean out the galleries that other insects have made in the wood. Furthermore, they push the dirt or wood scraps out of the galleries. In some cases homeowners find debris thinking that there’s an active termite infestation.

Acrobat ants normally eat insects and honeydew, a sugary waste excreted by sap-feeding insects like aphids. Acrobat ants protect the aphids that produce honeydew. If acrobat ants come into a home, they usually prefer sweets and meat.

The acrobat ant workers enter homes in several ways. For example, they make a trail across the ground. Also, door thresholds and construction gaps are common entryways. Workers can also follow tree limbs or shrubs touching the house. They have even made trails on utility lines. Lastly, ants can enter the home through the same opening that pipes or wires go through.

Signs of Infestation

Acrobat ants are capable of nesting inside buildings, and sometimes inside insulated spaces. First, the most visible sign of acrobat ants is the trails of ants as they forage for resources. Second, another sign is the debris they deposit as they excavate their nests. This often consists of foam insulation and dead ants near the nest.

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Behavior, Diet & Habits

Carpenter ants reside both outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying, or hollow wood. They excavate wood by biting and spitting it out to form their nests. As a result, this provides passageways for movement from section to section of the nest. This activity produces wood shavings mixed with parts of dead ants which provides clues to nesting locations.

Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they will feed on a variety of food people eat—particularly sweets and meats. In addition, they also feed on other insects.

Signs of Infestation

Carpenter ant workers and swarmers (winged ants) are the most likely signs homeowners observe. The workers may be observed foraging for food. Swarmers are usually produced when a colony matures and is ready to form new colonies. These winged individuals often indicate a well-established colony. Additional signs of carpenter ant activity are the debris they produce from tunneling in the wood. Rough wood shavings mixed with parts of dead ants from the colony indicate carpenter ant nesting activity. Finally, another sign may be the “rustling” sound sometimes heard as the ants go about their activity in the home’s wood.

Contact Betts Pest Control for quality ant exterminator services.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Odorous ant nests are found in a variety of situations. For instance, inside buildings, they are often found nesting in the walls or beneath the floor. They are most likely to invade buildings during rainy weather. In addition, odorous ants travel in trails, foraging day and night.

Outdoors, odorous ants often feed on honeydew, a sugary waste produced from sap from feeding insects such as aphids. Inside buildings, they prefer sweet items but will also feed on meats and grease.

Signs of an Odorous Ant Infestation

The most likely sign of odorous house ants is the foraging worker ants, although winged swarmers may also be observed. Contact us to schedule an appointment with Betts ant exterminator services.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Pavement ants invade buildings while foraging for food. Nests are outdoors under stones, along curbs, or in cracks of pavement. They can nest indoors in walls and under floors.

Pavement ants will feed on a wide variety of foods, including meats, grease, live and dead insects, seeds, and honeydew from aphids. They prefer to eat greasy foods and can eat many foods consumed by humans. Furthermore, they forage for food for their colonies and set up trails to food sources from their nests. Pavement ant workers enter houses to forage and can become a nuisance when large groups infest a kitchen or garden patio.

Pavement ants don’t bite, although they do possess the ability to sting. Pavement ants are docile and not aggressive, preferring to avoid confrontation rather than stinging to defend themselves.

Signs of Infestation

Worker pavement ants are the most noticeable sign. However, other indicators include small piles of excavated materials or even the swarmers. Contact Betts for quality ant extermination today.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Pharaoh ants can take advantage of artificial heating in buildings to survive the winter. Infestations commonly occur in food service areas. They will nest in well-protected and hidden areas throughout a structure, but they can also nest outdoors in lawns or gardens in warm climates. Pharaoh ants eat food of all types, but especially sweets. Lastly, they also eat other insects.

Signs of Pharaoh Ant Infestation

The biggest indicator is the small amber-colored workers as they forage along surfaces. Contact Betts today for ant exterminator services.