What Type Of Ants Are In Your Home?

Finding ants in your home can be quite an annoyance. Like most homeowners, you probably want to get rid of them as quickly as possible! But to ensure your pest control efforts are effective, you must first determine what type of ants you are dealing with. Here's a look at the four most common kinds found inside of homes. 

Argentine Ants 

These tiny little ants are less than 3 mm in length and are brown in color. They tend to show up in homes during the summer months when they are seeking shade from the hot summer sun. If you squish one of these ants, you'll notice a weird, musky odor. The ants are attracted to moisture and sweet foods, so if you take steps to dry out your home and keep sweets cleaned up, you should have no trouble getting rid of them.

Rover Ants

Rover ants are also brown in color, but they are slightly smaller than Argentine ants -- measuring about 1.5 mm in length. These ants could be said to be shy. They tend to spend time under things and will scurry rather quickly if you see them or threaten them. Luckily, rover ants don't really nest inside homes, and they do not sting. Set up a few ants traps, keep your food cleaned up, and you will notice fewer and fewer of them as time goes on.

Carpenter Ants

This is the type of ant you really have to worry about. They're pretty big -- up to 1//4 inch in length -- and are usually black, though there are a few rare red species. These slow-moving ants may be seen in the kitchen and dining room, but what's more worrisome is where they build their nests: in moist wooden structures. If you are noticing carpenter ants in your home, don't try to deal with the problem yourself. Call a pest control service who can locate the nest and quickly get rid of the ants before they chew one of your house's structural beams to bits.

Crazy Ants

This type of ant is typically only seen in hot climates. They're about 3 mm long and black in color. If you disturb them, they scatter in every direction, turning and twisting rather than running straight ahead. They can bite or sting. Crazy ants do build nests in your home, so you should have a pest control company come address them.