Ant Pest Control

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are an easily recognized group of social insects. Ants are one of the most common and abundant insects. There is over 22,000 classified species of ants in the world, with 700 species in the United States. Ants are also one of the most widely distributed of all insect groups. They occur from the Arctic tree line to the humid tropics; they are all over the world. Lucky for us in the pacific northwest, we have around 12 species of ants.

Ants infest buildings as a nuisance, feed on human foods, and even cause structural damage. Ants are also annoying because of their biting or stinging habits. Ant stings are responsible for a number of human fatalities in the United States each year. The effects of stings on a human depend on the ant species and the sensitivity of the person. Most deaths are caused by a hypersensitive reaction leading to anaphylactic shock.

ANT PEST CONTROL

To get rid of ants, it is important to identify the ant species before attempting ant pest control. Some ant species can be controlled using baits, while others cannot. To get rid of ants successfully, it is usually necessary to follow them back to their colony and treat the colony directly. We can identify your ants, kill them, and control future outbreaks.

Top 10 ants found in the pacific northwest

Western Harvester Ant

Argentine Ant

Thief Ant

Odorous House Ant 

Pavement Ant

Cornfield, Moisture Ant

Carpenter Ant

Pharaoh Ant

Western Thatching Ant

Fire Ant

How do you tell the difference between Carpenter Ants and Termites……

Carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.) and termite (Isoptera) are notorious for causing damage to wood in your home. Termites are roughly the same size as the many, many species of large ants that fall into the carpenter ant Camponotus group; and like carpenter ants, termites burrow into wet, rotting wood, making them the enemy of your home’s framing.

Because both carpenter ants and termites swarm in the springtime to mate, they are often confused for one another by homeowners spotting the swarms. A closer look will reveal significant differences.

Identifying  Termites 

• A termite has no “waist”–instead, its body is more rectangular, without any narrowing in the center.
• The termite has straight, beaded antennae.
• The termite has four wings that are of equal size and shape. Its wings are also longer than its body.

Identifying  Carpenter Ants 

• The carpenter ant has a very well-defined narrow, constricted waist.
• The antennae of ants are bent or “elbowed.”
• A carpenter ant has four wings, with the back, hind wings shorter than its front fore wings.