Ants are an insect that you can handle with the help of your Broken Arrow exterminator. Ants are a colonizing insect that wages wars in our backyards and fields near our homes. These insects are constantly fighting for survival and the right to food and other resources around their colonies. Sometimes these insects will find a way to our homes in an attempt to create colonies there as well. It’s when they get close to us that they can become a real problem pest. So in this article is a good hard look at ants, the ant life cycle and what you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can do to protect yourself and your home from these insects.
FIRE ANTS AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Fire ants are common here in Oklahoma and Texas. Here in Oklahoma, we have two different versions of the fire ant. We have the indigenous fire ant in the invasive fire ant. Both of these insects protect their colony by a sting that they can administer with a bite. These stings can be very painful on their own but usually these insects roam in packs. Often, if you walk over a fire ant mound, or come in contact with the colony in someway, this can set them off, and they’ll come attacking in droves. Next thing you know your ankles and legs will be on fire with their bites.
The bite of the fire ant is really not life-threatening, and can usually be taken care of with a first aid kit. If you have any form of allergic reaction, though, it may be time to contact a physician. The indigenous fire ant is far more docile than the invasive species version of the insect. In fact, the invasive species has been attacking the indigenous version and wiping them out colony by colony. It’s important if you have the invasive species version of this ant in your home or yard, that you contact your Broken Arrow exterminator in order to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
ODOROUS HOUSE ANT AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Most ant species are found outside. The odorous house ant is a special kind of ant that makes its way into your home and creates colonies inside your house. It will find a gap or hole somewhere that it can set up shop and next thing you know you’ll have ants all over the place. These insects get their name because if you crush one of them, they have a very distinct odor that is often described as a musty, coconut odor.
The real trouble with these ant species is that they often reproduce their colony through a process known as splintering. If a group of workers is separated from the colony, for too long, they will become reproductive and suddenly start a brand new colony with the workers that are available. If you go to the supermarket and buy a can of over-the-counter pesticide, you can spray a boundary around a set of workers that can cause them to set up shop and create a second colony. Now you have double the problem instead of eliminating it.
THIEF ANTS AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Thief ants, as their name implies, use a devious method in order to survive. These ants will set up shop right next to a pharaoh ant colony. Then they will infiltrate the pharaoh ant colony making their way inside. They emit a pheromone that lets the other ants know that they are friendly ants. The pharaoh ants believe that the thief ant is actually one of them. Then it will make its way down to the brood where it will find larva and eggs just waiting to be stolen. It will carry these larva and eggs out of the pharaoh ant colony and back to the original thief ant colony. Here, it will make a meal out of these adolescent ants, feeding the pharaoh ant young to its own young.
These outdoor ants are constantly fighting one another and trying to outdo each other. The thief ant is quite effective at stealing these pharaoh ant larva. The only defense is that the thief ants colony is usually quite small and doesn’t take enough of the young to completely wipe out the pharaoh ant colony. It’s not even in the best interest of a thief ant to wipe out the colony because then it loses its food supply. These insects work against one another in an attempt to survive out in the open. If you are having an issue with ants contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help.
ELIMINATING ANTS
If you find that a group of ants have found their way into a place that is making them a pest, then it’s time to get some help and get rid of them. It’s important that you first of all identify the kind of ant. Different kinds of ants require different kinds of treatments. There are baits that can be used, repellent sprays, non-repellent sprays and other control methods that are available to take care of different species of ants.
As stated before, if you use a repellent spray, such as what you get over the counter on an odorless indoor ant, then you’re going to multiply your problem. You’re going to need to have a non-repellent solution that you’re Broken Arrow exterminator will have access to. Outdoor ants are susceptible to many different kinds of baits. Often fire ants can be effectively treated with the correct kind of bait. Contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help.
If you’re having an issue with ants or any other pest, then its time to call a Broken Arrow exterminator, that can help. Here at TermMax pest control, we are the best in the business, when it comes to dealing with ants or any other pest. We service the greater Tulsa area, including Broken Arrow, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Prattville, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Turley, and so much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
