Ants are a problem that you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can solve. These small colony insects make their way into our homes and marches armies against us. Underneath our feet, in our yards, there are massive battles between armies of ants of different species attacking one another. These insects will fight for the betterment of their own society, and sometimes get in the way of our health and well-being. Understanding ants is imperative to be able to control them. So in this article, let’s take a good hard look at ants, their life cycle, and what you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can do to protect your home from them.

OUTDOOR ANTS AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR

Most of the ants in our ecosystem here in northeastern Oklahoma are outdoor ants. These ants build their colonies in our yards and in between the cracks in the pavement. They cut out a lifestyle that gives them the ability to survive and thrive in our domain. There are many different species of outdoor ants, and most of them are harmless to us. They carry on their lives without affecting anything that we do. But some outdoor ants are a problem and can find themselves in a situation where they become a pest that needs to be taken care of. One of these pests is the fire ant. These are reddish ants that create a colony and is known by their sting. These small ants can bite and sting and create quite a painful welt upon your skin.

In Oklahoma, we have two kinds of fire ant. We have an indigenous fire ant, and we have a non-indigenous or invasive fire ant. While both can bite and sting, the invasive species is much more problematic than the non-invasive species. This species of fire ant will actually attack the indigenous fire ants and wipe out their colonies. This is a major problem for our ecosystem. In addition to that, they’re much more aggressive if you go near their nests. In order to combat these, you’re going to need the help of your Broken Arrow exterminator. While you can buy over-the-counter solutions, these pale in comparison to what is available on the restricted use side of it. So contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help with fire ants.

CARPENTER ANTS AND BROKEN ARROWS EXTERMINATOR

Another ant that is often a pest in our homes are carpenter ants. These ants are unique in the fact that they use dead wood to create their nests in. Unfortunately, our homes are also made out of the same dead wood. So if they find a piece of wood, they will dig holes into it and create galleys all through the grain of the wood. Here they will lay their eggs and build their colony. While this is great if you’re talking about a dead tree off in the woods, digging nests into the wood of your homes can compromise the structural integrity of your home. It’s important that you protect these homes from carpenter ants.

If you’re concerned that you may have termites or carpenter ants, there are telltale signs of infestation.  One of these is the galleys that you find in the nest. Termites cannot be above ground for any length of time without drying out. This means that they must use mud tubes to go up above the ground. So if you’re seeing mud around the galley‘s or areas where you think that you have a nest, this is a telltale sign you have termites. In addition, if you pull the mud away or look at the tunnels themselves, carpenter ants leave a very smooth finish to the sides of their tunnels. Termites are much rougher in the way that they pull their wood off of the galleys of their nest. If you believe you may have carpenter ants, then it’s time to contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help.

PEACEFUL ANTS AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR

While, there are many pests in the ant family, some ants are not a problem. Pavement ants are one of these ants. These ants are known for building their colonies between slabs of cement. They will burrow down in the cracks and creates galleys down in the dirt below. Pyramid ants are another kind of common ant that we see here in Oklahoma. Their nest entrances usually are found at the top of a mound of dirt, which gives them their name. Thief ants love to stay quite close to the pyramid ants nest. They’ll build a nest almost on the side of the pyramid ant nest entrance. The thief and will then go into the payment ant nest, mimicking their workers, and then stealing eggs and lava. They’ll take these eggs and larva back to the nest and feed upon them.

Leaf cutter ants, are another kind of ant that is generally peaceful. This ant is a farmer. It will go out and cut off pieces of a leaf, much larger than itself, and then carry the leaf pieces back to its nest. Here it will feed these pieces of leaf to a fungus that grows inside their nest. This fungus produces a sticky substance, a substance that provides food for the ants. The symbiotic relationship is great for ants and fungus alike. So contact your Broken Arrow exterminator if you’re having issues with ants or any other pest.

ELIMINATING ANTS

If you’re having issue with ants or any other pests, then it’s time to contact your Broken Arrow exterminator today. Here at TermMax pest control, we are the best in the business when it comes to dealing with ants or any other pests. We service the greater Tulsa area, including Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, Turley, Broken Arrow, Sand Springs, Prattville, Coweta, Sapulpa, Claremore, Catoosa, and so much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!

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