In New England, ant populations peak during the summer. That's why the summer months are the best time of year to learn about ants and take measures to keep them under control around our New England homes. We'll expand a little on our recent spring ant prevention blog and get into some details that you should know about ants for the summer months. Here are four of the most common ants we deal with in New England and what you need to know about them.
Carpenter Ants
Let's start with the worst of the worst. The reason carpenter ants are so bad is that they chew tunnels and galleries in the wood of homes. In the summer, when temperatures are ideal, these ants can do a lot more damage than during the cold months. This is because they're able to gather food around your yard and acquire the energy they need to work like well-oiled, home-wrecking machines.
These are the biggest ants you'll see inside your home. At ⅝ of an inch long, they're hard to miss. While usually black in color, carpenter ants may also have a red coloration, depending on the species.
Odorous House Ants
When populations of odorous house ants grow, there is more of a chance of these ants getting inside your home, which is why these pests become so problematic in the summer when their populations are expanding. When these ants get inside, they can contaminate your food and, when squished, give off a smell of rotten coconuts.
Odorous house ants are brown or black in color and are between 1/16 and ⅛ of an inch long.
Pavement Ants
You'll usually find these ants outside of your home, crawling around on sidewalks and walkways. For the most part, pavement ants are just annoying; however, since these ants can be black, homeowners often mistake carpenter ants for these mostly harmless ants, but if you know that pavement ants are only ⅛ of an inch long, you should have no trouble telling these two ants apart.
Pharaoh Ants
These ants are linked to the spread of more than a dozen human pathogens. Of all the ants on our list, these pose the greatest health threat. During the summer months, these ants can enter a home by the thousands.
Pharaoh ants are a pale color with a dark-colored or black abdomen; they are 1/16 of an inch long.
When it comes to an ant infestation, it is important to know which type of ant you're dealing with, especially during the most active season for ants; however, it is even more important to properly address any ant problems when you see them.
For help eliminating ants from your New England home or property, contact Big Blue Bug Solutions today!