ANTS

Getting rid of ants can be a tricky undertaking, as it involves locating and eliminating the nest, or nests that may be inside and/or outside your house, as well as any visible insects. There are several kinds of ants that commonly infest homes in the York Region area. They are attracted to different conditions, and require different steps to get rid of them. Knowing which sort of ant has infested your home is the first step to knowing how to remove them from your home. York Pest Control's technicians are experts at dealing with ant infestations, and will be more than happy to eliminate them so you don't have to.

Acrobat ants are approximately 1/8th inch in size. They vary in color from yellowish brown to dark brown, with a darker coloured heart-shaped abdomen. They are identified from other ant species by a pair of spines found on the back edge of the middle section of their body (which can only been seen via magnification). When disturbed, they also carry their abdomens in the air. Acrobat ants feed on other insects and sweets, and can live both outdoors and indoors. The find their way into homes and businesses through through cracks around doors and windows. When nesting outdoors they live in decaying or dead and decaying wood or under leaf litter. When nesting indoors, they live in moist wood or crevices or in sheathing and foam insulating board. 

Carpenter ants are between 3mm and 13mm (or 1/8" and 1/2") long, and are either black or black and red in colour. They invade homes in search of food and potential nesting sites. They are drawn to damp or moist areas, where the wood is easiest to chew. Some possible nesting sites include window sills and door frames, or in the bathroom, around the shower or the tub. Carpenter ants may maintain a main nest outside of the home, with smaller nests inside serving as secondary locations. They can be active inside the home as early in the year as January or February, and their dormant period lies in the autumn, between October and November. Proper control of carpenter ants involves both an inside and an outside treatment, using gel baits, dust formulations, and residual sprays. If you think that you may have an infestation of these common household pests, call York Pest Control.  They will send a technician to assess the situation and provide you with a solution to your pest problem. 

European fire ants (or referred to as the common red ant) are red in colour, can be aggressive in defending their territory, and will readily sting any human or pet that comes near. A bite from a European fire ant is similar to being stung from a bee or wasp. These insects tend to be attracted to moist areas with an abundance of sunlight, and can be found in gardens and backyards. European fire ants can also be found under stones, fallen trees and in deep soil. They have been known to be common in areas near water, such as Toronto.

Over the past ten years, European fire ants have been found in natural and residential areas in the Greater Toronto Area. European fire ant colonies can vary in size from 150,000 ants to 300,000 ants, and can take over a backyard easily.

If you sense that you may have an infestation, it is best to call a pest control company, as home remedies are ineffective.

Pavement ants are quite small, between 2mm and 4mm (1/16" and 1/8") in size, and range in colour from light brown to black. They are most commonly seen in groups, around wall edges or particles of dropped food. They show up most frequently in concrete slab-on-grade construction, such as buildings lacking a basement. Proper control of pavement ants requires residual sprays, gel baits, or dust formulations, and using an exterior treatment to control them is possible, weather permitting. 

Pharaoh ants are quite small, typically only 1mm to 2mm (or 1/16") long, and are light yellow in colour. They prefer to make their nests in warm, moist areas that provide easy access to food. Pharaoh ants should only be controlled with gel or dust formulations, as the use of chemical sprays will only serve to increase the problem.