Pest Control – Ants
Pavement Ants
Pharaoh ants are very small yellowish ants, almost translucent, that can be a major nuisance inside a house. When they occur, there is often more than one nest, each with many egg-laying queens. They are difficult to control and should not be attempted by a homeowner. Professional pest managers should be called. Poisoned baits are the only method of properly controlling this type of ant. Sprays will actually cause the colonies to split and spread making the problem worse.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are very small yellowish ants, almost translucent, that can be a major nuisance inside a house. When they occur, there is often more than one nest, each with many egg-laying queens. They are difficult to control and should not be attempted by a homeowner. Professional pest managers should be called. Poisoned baits are the only method of properly controlling this type of ant. Sprays will actually cause the colonies to split and spread making the problem worse.
Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants are brown or black. When squashed, they give off a distinct odor. The nests are found both indoors and outside and are sometimes very difficult to control. When they do take poisoned bait, it will still take time for the colony to disappear.
Field Ants
Field ants is a common name for several types of large ants that can be black, brown, yellowish, or with a red head and thorax, and a black abdomen. They often nest in tree stumps and in large mounds in fields. Sometimes they will invade and nest in buildings. They do not do any damage but they can be annoying and can bite. This ant is a beneficial predator so should be controlled only when they are becoming a nuisance.
Cornfield Ants
They are often called moisture ants and they are not normally seen indoors except when the large winged honey-colored females or the smaller dark males swarm in late summer. They live only in damp or rotting wood, the presence of these ants is an indication of moisture or wood-rot problem. Effective control requires eliminating the cause of the moisture problem and replacing the damaged wood. Spraying the winged ants with a household pesticide may provide temporary relief during the swarming season but it will not kill the colony.