Ant species common to Central Ohio

Identifying Carpenter Ant’s In Ohio

• Size: Carpenter ants are larger than most other ants, ranging from 0.3 to 1 inch (0.76 to 2.54 cm) in length. The size can vary within the species, with the queen being the largest.

• Color: While the most common color is black, carpenter ants can also be red, brown, or a combination thereof. The specific color can depend on the species.

• Body Structure: They have a rounded thorax when viewed from the side, and their waist has only one segment, which distinguishes them from termites and some other ant species. The thorax's smooth, curved upper surface is a key identifying feature.

• Antennae: Their antennae are bent or "elbowed," which is typical for ants but helps to differentiate them from termites, which have straight antennae.

• Wings: Reproductive carpenter ants (males and queens) have wings. The queens shed their wings after mating. If you find large winged ants in your home, it's a possible sign of a carpenter ant colony. Carpenter ant wings are larger in the front and smaller in the back, unlike termite wings, which are roughly equal in size.

• Behavior and Habitat: Carpenter ants are known for burrowing into damp or damaged wood to create their nests, which can help in identifying them. They do not eat the wood but remove it to expand their living spaces. Seeing piles of wood shavings near wooden structures can be a sign of their presence. Unlike termites, they don't consume the wood, so the damage they cause is different.

• Activity: They are most active during the night, so you might see them foraging for food from dusk till dawn. They eat a variety of food sources, including insect honeydew, meats, and sweets.

When trying to identify carpenter ants, it's essential to consider these characteristics collectively because some features might overlap with other ant species or insects like termites. If you suspect an infestation, it might be beneficial to consult a pest control professional for accurate identification and management..

Identifying Pharaoh Ant’s In Ohio

Size: Pharaoh ants are quite small, typically measuring between 1.5 to 2 mm in length. Their small size can make them difficult to see and identify without a magnifying glass.

Color: They are light yellow to red, with a darker abdomen which can sometimes appear almost translucent. This coloration can help differentiate them from other, darker ant species.

Antennae: Pharaoh ants have antennae with 12 segments, ending in a three-segmented club. This is a key feature in identifying them compared to some other ants which might have antennae with fewer segments.

Behavior: Pharaoh ants are known for their ability to establish large colonies with multiple queens, which can make them difficult to control. They are also notorious for their budding process, where a small group breaks off from the main colony to start a new colony when threatened, leading to widespread infestation.

Habitat: Indoors, they prefer warm, humid areas close to sources of water, such as kitchens and bathrooms. They can often be found in hospitals, where they pose a significant risk due to their potential to spread disease.

Diet: Pharaoh ants eat a wide variety of foods, including sweets, fats, and proteins. This varied diet can make them a common pest in many environments.

Trails: Like many ants, Pharaoh ants follow pheromone trails to food sources. Observing their movement can sometimes help in identifying their tiny trails along walls, countertops, or floors.

Nesting: Unlike some ants that prefer soil or wood, Pharaoh ants often nest in hidden, hard-to-reach places inside buildings, including wall voids, under floors, or behind baseboards.

Because of their small size and the subtle differences between species, Pharaoh ants can be difficult to identify without close inspection. If you suspect an infestation, it might be beneficial to contact a pest control professional who can accurately identify the species and recommend an effective treatment strategy.

Identifying Pavement Ant’s in Ohio

Size: Pavement ants are relatively small, typically ranging from 2.5 to 4 mm in length.

Color: They usually have a dark brown to blackish body color, which can help differentiate them from other ant species that might be lighter in color.

Antennae: Their antennae are 12-segmented with a three-segmented club at the end, which is a common feature among many ant species but useful in combination with other characteristics for identification.

Body Structure: Pavement ants have a noticeable pair of spines on the back, and their thorax is unevenly shaped when viewed from the side. They also have grooves on the head and thorax, which are not always easily visible without magnification but can aid in identification.

Behavior: Known for their distinctive behavior of pushing up mounds of dirt or sand as they excavate their nests under pavements, sidewalks, and building foundations. These small piles of soil often appear at cracks in pavement or along the edges of sidewalks.

Diet: They are omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of foods, including insects, sweets, meats, and grease. Their foraging trails are often seen leading to food sources.

Nesting Sites: Aside from under pavements and sidewalks, they can also nest under stones, logs, and at the edge of buildings. In homes, they can be found in walls, insulation, and under floors.

Seasonal Activity: In Ohio, pavement ants are most active from spring to fall. During early summer, you might observe swarms of winged reproductive ants emerging from nests, which is part of their mating behavior.

Identifying Crazy Ant’s in Ohio

Size: Crazy ants are relatively small, with workers measuring about 1/8 inch (3 to 4 mm) in length.

Color: Tawny crazy ants, as their name suggests, have a tawny (light brown to reddish brown) color, which distinguishes them from some other ant species that might be darker.

Body Structure: Crazy ants have long legs and antennae compared to their body size, which gives them a distinctive appearance. Unlike some ant species, they do not have a stinger.

Behavior: Their common name, "crazy ants," comes from their erratic, fast, and unpredictable movements. They do not follow pheromone trails like many other ant species, which makes their movement patterns appear erratic.

Nesting Sites: Crazy ants do not create centralized nests. Instead, they form loose colonies under stones, logs, debris, or almost any item that provides concealment. They can also nest in the soil or even in damp areas.

Diet: They have a broad diet that includes live and dead insects, seeds, fruits, and honeydew from aphids and scale insects. This adaptability in diet helps them thrive in various environments.

Invasiveness: Crazy ants are known for their ability to rapidly colonize areas and displace other ant species. They can invade homes and other structures in search of food and moisture.

Electrical Equipment: A peculiar characteristic of these ants is their attraction to electrical equipment. Infestations have been known to cause damage to electrical wiring and components, leading to short circuits and other problems.

To positively identify crazy ants, it's often necessary to examine their physical characteristics under magnification, given their small size and the subtleties that distinguish them from other ant species. If you suspect an infestation of crazy ants in Ohio or are dealing with an unidentified ant problem, consulting with a pest management professional can provide both accurate identification and effective treatment options. Given the potential for crazy ants to spread and create problems, early identification and management are important.

Life Cycle and Habits

Ants are social insects that live in colonies or nests usually located in the soil near the house foundation, under concrete slabs, in crawlspaces, in structural wood, in the yard or garden, in trees, and in other protected places. Ants have three castes, namely queens, males, and workers. Queens and males are the reproducers. Workers are sterile wingless females. New ant colonies are started by a single fertilized queen that lays eggs and tends her brood (larvae and pupae) that develop into worker ants. Tending of the brood is then taken over by the worker, which may shift the brood from place to place as moisture and temperature fluctuate in the nest. When workers forage for food for the queen and her young, they often may enter houses and become a nuisance by their presence and contaminate food.

Our Treatment

Our treatment consists of multiple measures including baseboard treatment, aggressively baiting areas where activity is present, and flushing out active colonies. We will also treat the exterior of your home or building and lay granules to prevent issues in the future.