Your Guide to Ant Species
Residents of the Northern Arkansas area are familiar with ants. They’re a common pest, and we all tend to have them either in our homes or our yards. Action Pest and Turf is pleased to offer complete pest control solutions to the various types of ants that you might find on your property.
While you might be familiar with them, it’s important to realize that depending on the subspecies of ant that has taken up residence in your home or lawn, treatment effectiveness will vary. You have to first recognize the type of ant that you are dealing with, and be trained in the proper ways to both treat and deter their recurrence.
Northern Arkansas is home to various types of ants. Let’s take a closer look at the subspecies you might encounter, and the hazard each one presents to your family and home.
Ants that Live Inside Your Home.
- Black carpenter ant. While human bites are rare, these ants are still bad news in a home. They will chew through the wooden structures found in the framing of your home and can, over time, cause property damage.
- Carpenter ant. They cause the same damage as above, but look slightly different with a reddish-brown body. For this reason, many homeowners mistake them for fire ants or other ants that don’t cause wood property damage.
- Formica ant. These ants can nest either inside or outside your home, and can only be eliminated with the removal of the queen. They don’t bite or sting, instead, they rely on the expulsion of formic acid from their abdomens for protection. These ants are small with red bodies and black abdomens.
Ants that Build Nests Outside.
- Red pavement ant. These ants are known to build nests under cracks in sidewalks, patios and walkways. Over time, they can excavate the ground under these structures and increase the chance of your materials cracking or breaking.
- Velvet ant. While very pretty, this is not an ant you want to have around your property. It’s actually not an ant, but a wasp. The female is wingless and can carry a very painful sting. If you see a large, red and black striped ‘ant’ that appears velvety, it’s a good idea to call for an exterminator.
- Fire ant. We all know and fear the fire ant. They build nests in the grass, around landscaping structures and anywhere they can find an opportunity. These ants can be very aggressive and swarm anyone who happens to step into their area on accident, inflicting a series of painful bites. While many DIY fire-ant removal methods are found on the internet, they’re often not effective as to remove the colony, you must remove the queen, who is sheltered very deeply underground.
Our licensed and experienced technicians are fully knowledgeable of the types of ants that are frequently encountered in our area. If you’ve noticed ants either inside your home or in your yard, contact us. We’ll be glad to help you regain full use of your home once again, without these tiny pests.