There are thousands of kinds of ants that vary in size and nature.
Nuisance ants live up to their name, and tend to invade looking for food and water. They can infest foods and transmit disease.
Fire ants are known for their reddish-brown color and painful sting and can be dangerous to those allergic to them. Their mounds are easily visible in your yard. In addition to stings, they can damage vegetation, roads, and electrical systems.
Carpenter ants are large and black and live in wood. They excavate in wood, which can weaken a structure. They’re not as bad as termites, however. Like nuisance ants, they can contaminate food.
Sugar ants like to nest in hidden and protected areas. These ants can be extremely difficult to control using over the counter products. For this pest we use specialized products that destroy the nest and queen. Most of the products available to consumers are repellent in nature to these sensitive bugs. While repellent products may run them off for a time, or even eliminate the few that are exposed during treatment, they do little to nothing to attack the root of the problem.
Tawny Ants, also known as Caribbean Crazy Ants, or Raspberry Crazy Ants,
are a new and invasive species of ant that is making its way through Alabama. Since their discovery several years ago this ant was only seen in Florida and the Houston Texas area, but in the past couple of years they have been making their way into the other gulf coast states. To our knowledge there has yet to be a confirmed infestation in Northern Alabama, but it will most likely be coming within the next few years.
Tawny Ants are unlike other ants for various reasons. They have the ability to heal themselves from fire ants venom, and outcompete and displace them when infesting a new area. Tawny ants walk in a rapid and sometimes erratic pattern as well. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Tawny ant is the extremely high numbers that are produced from each colony. From personal experience treating these pests in the Houston area I have seen them pile up dead inches deep, and still continue to cover the ground so thick that it looks like the dirt is moving. These pests are not something that can be taken care of on a DIY basis. If you suspect you have Tawny ants at your home or business call us today for a free identification and evaluation. Fortunately at Scout we have experience that most other local companies lack, and know the best methods and practices to control and eliminate this pest.
For any of these ant problems in your home or yard, Scout Pest Control can help!