Ant Identification & Prevention

Ants are a type of pest that almost every homeowner will have the displeasure of dealing with at one time or another. These social insects live in large colonies; if you spot ants roaming around your indoor or outdoor space, know there are hundreds or thousands more nearby you aren't seeing.

We identify ants by their three distinct body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen, as well as their thin “waist” and six legs. Reproductive ants are winged, but most ants in a colony lack wings. Individual species are identified by their color, size, and shape. Identifying specific species of ants can be tricky, but most have a descriptive name that can help.

The ants most common in our region include carpenter ants and a variety of sugar ants, including black ants and odorous house ants. 

• Carpenter ants gained their descriptive name because they tunnel through pieces of wood to create nesting sites. 
• As you have probably guessed, black ants are little black ants. They're generally very small, from 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long.
• Odorous house ants emit a potent rotten-coconut-like odor when they are crushed. 

To accurately identify the ants on your property, always reach out to an experienced pest professional.

Depending on their species, ants do have the potential to be dangerous. In general, ants are nuisance pests; they invade in large numbers, contaminate food, and are annoying to deal with, but they don’t cause significant harm to people or structures.

Dangerous ants are those species that do have the ability to cause harm. The carpenter ant is an example of a dangerous ant. Carpenter ants can cause costly structural damage when they decide to nest in our homes. They typically like to create their nests inside pieces of structural wood that are damp or decaying. A carpenter ant infestation can indicate a moisture problem inside your home.

Ants can survive in almost any habitat that offers them food, water, and shelter. Unfortunately, our Brighton yards and homes typically offer ants precisely what they need to help their colony survive. Some of the biggest attractants for ants include:

• Open trash cans and recycling bins
• Pet food
• Outdoor grills and eating areas
• Hummingbird feeders
• Gardens
• Leaky pipes, spigots, and hoses

With more than 700 different types of ants living across the United States, it should be no surprise that ants regularly find their way to our Michigan properties.

You will find ants nesting outside in places like fallen trees, woodpiles, the cracks of pavement, and in the soil under mulch, landscaping ties, and rocks. Some ants nest out in the open, creating unsightly ant mounds in our yards.

Ants typically like to live outside but regularly use our homes to forage for food. Their small size allows them to enter through cracks and crevices they discover in foundations and around windows and doors.

Sometimes ants become permanent members of our homes, building a satellite nest near their newfound food sources as a way to expand their colony. Inside homes, ants build their nests in wall voids, crawl spaces, structural wood, behind cabinets, and in other dark, dry areas.

To successfully get rid of ants and prevent them from returning, partner with a local and experienced professional. Here at First Choice Pest Control, we offer a variety of pest control programs to eliminate ants and other common household pests. Our professionals will work with you to decide which home pest control program best fits your property’s pest control needs. To learn more about home pest control solutions for ants, reach out today!

Minimize the risk of an ant infestation with the help of the following ant prevention tips:

• Make sure doors and windows have secure screens and weatherstripping.
• Keep trash in sealed containers with lids.
• Maintain a clean home by keeping the floor vacuumed and counters wiped down.
• Store food out of their reach in the fridge or in air-tight containers.

Keep ants away year-round with our help. First Choice Pest Control is here to meet your ant control needs.