March 28, 2024
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7 Different Types Of Ants And Ways To Get Rid Of Them

Photo by VINAY GUPTA on Unsplash

As a homeowner in Maryland, United States, you can come across different types of ants strolling from your door to the kitchen in search of food. The area can be infested mainly by black ants, carpenter ants, or even fire ants. Other ants that can affect and threaten your home are odorous house ants and pavement ants.

To help you check which types of ants have infested in and around your home, here is a comprehensive list of the most seven common ants found in the US. Also, by reading this, you will be able to learn more about the ways to get rid of them in no time.

Types Of Ants And Ways To Get Rid Of Them

1. Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants surge in the spring, and their colonies can live from around 3-6 years. You can find them in firewood, decks, sheds, walls, attics, and water-damaged or rotten wood. They might bite if you pick them up; however, the bites are not that painful.

How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants excavate in the wood but don’t eat it. They get more drawn toward sweets, meats, and fats. To get rid of them, you will need to remove dead or dying trees surrounding the home and repair water-damaged wood. It will prevent them from nesting in and around your home. Here, you can always consult with a knowledgeable and professional pest control agency in your town, which can not only help you understand the ways to get rid of all types of ants, but also provide information on how to get rid of clover mites, bed bugs, fleas, roaches, house flies, spiders, and various other insects that are a big threat to your house and its occupants.

2. Fire Ants

Fire ants are the most common ants in the South and Southwest. They mainly nest outdoors and are attracted to bread, jelly, sugar, and potato chips. Their sting can be painful and can trigger allergic reactions, which may require immediate medical assistance.

How To Get Rid Of Fire Ants?

It is not possible to get rid of fire ants fully; however, you can control their infestation by putting bait. You can even go for a broadcast insecticide application for fire ants in the lawn areas. You can choose to treat every mound separately if the surrounding area is not infested by more than one or two mounds.

3. Thief Ants Or Grease Ants

The thief ants or grease ants are small and can sneak into your home and go unnoticed. They usually feed on greasy foods such as potato chips. They usually set up near other nests to raid them for their larvae and eggs.

How To Get Rid Of Thief Ants?

Thief ants can get eliminated with the help of baiting. You can keep a small amount of greasy bait near the areas you have spotted the ants. If the ants are nesting outdoors, the baits cannot be that impactful. Instead, locate the nest to handle it directly by following the ant’s trail.

4. Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are small and can become transparent because of their brown-to-yellowish color thorax. You can find them in places with unlimited food sources, such as grocery stores, hospitals, hotels, and restaurants. They carry salmonella and different diseases that can cause different problems.

How To Get Rid Of Pharaoh Ants?

There are different ways to get rid of pharaoh ants from your home, one of the most successful being ant bait. The worker ants will get the bait to the nest for feeding, which will result in eliminating the whole colony.

5. Ghost Ants

Ghost ants are mainly found and thrive in tropical climates. Their colonies have various queens and nests. However, controlling them can get really difficult as they often build up a colony. They don’t usually bite as they have uneven and rounded thorax but can nest in homes and cause a nuisance.

How To Get Rid Of Ghost Ants?

To help get rid of ghost ants, you should keep shrubs trimmed and keep firewood at a 20 feet distance from your house. However, you can use the same control techniques mentioned for pharaoh ants.

6. Argentine Ants

Argentine ants can number hundreds and thousands. They breed fast, so if one colony is eliminated, another one can quickly take its place. That is why finding and eliminating all of them at once is imperative.

How To Get Rid Of Argentine Ants?

Argentine ants can expand through budding, and you can choose to follow similar techniques used for eliminating pharaoh ants.

7. Field Ants

Field ants usually nest in lawns and can go up to 6 feet in diameter and 2 feet tall. They also can nest in parks and gardens.

How To Get Rid Of Field Ants?

To get rid of field ants, you can seal the entry points to keep away the ants. You can even apply non-repellent insecticide around the windows and doors, especially for this purpose.

For more information about pest control in the state, check out the Maryland State Pest Control Association site. It provides various pest control tips, educational resources, information on contractors near you, and more!

How To Avoid Infestation Of Ants?

  • Clean the food crumbs and any kind of spillage in your home
  • No food should get stored outside the pantry, and food gets stored in proper air-tight containers
  • Try not to leave dirty dishes
  • Wipe down jars that contain sugary substances
  • Sweep and mop floors regularly
  • Keep your home surfaces dry

These are some steps you should take to avoid the infestation of ants. However, if the pest infestation has increased, it’s always a good idea to call an extermination company. The two best companies that you can go for in this case are Orkin and Terminix. However, if you want a detailed analysis of these two industry giants, you can read out the in-depth Orkin Vs.Terminix review.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to get rid of the common types of ants present in Maryland, United States, you should take the proper steps. Also, make it a point not to keep any kind of food outside and uncovered at your home. If the infestation increases, always ensure that you take the help of an extermination company as they help to bring down the infestation.

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