With the arrival of summer comes the arrival of ant season. If ants stayed outside where they belong, they wouldn’t cause us much trouble. Unfortunately, ants have a way of getting into our homes and causing all kinds of problems. If you end up with ants in your Worcester kitchen, it helps to know what kind they are so that you can understand what you’re dealing with.
Below you can learn about the most common ants in the Worcester area, the problems they cause homeowners, and what to do if they enter your home.
Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants are dark brown or black and grow to about 3 millimeters long. While they don’t cause problems other than contaminating the food they get into, they do emit an unpleasant odor that smells similar to rotten coconuts when they’re squished.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are small, growing to about 1.5 millimeters in length. They are amber in color and live in very large colonies. Pharaoh ants are dangerous ants. They spread disease. In addition to homes, they are often found in healthcare facilities.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants build their nests in cracks in the pavement. They grow to about 3 millimeters long and are black. While they don’t usually enter homes, if they do, they can be a nuisance.
Thief Ants
Thief ants are yellow to dark brown in color and about 2 millimeters long. They are another of the disease-spreading ants. They can also spread tapeworms.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are larger ants, growing as large as 13 millimeters long. They are black, and the reproductive members have wings. Although they don’t spread diseases, if they get into your home, they’ll chew tunnels through the wooden structures in your home.
Why You Have Ants in Your Worcester Kitchen
Ants usually get into homes while foraging for food. They are especially drawn to sweet foods but will eat other things as well. They may come inside looking for water or shelter on especially hot or cold days.
What to Do if Ants Get in Your Worcester Kitchen
When ants invade, whether nuisance ants or dangerous ants, Big Blue Bug Solutions can take care of them for you. While DIY ant control may take care of some ants, you want ant control that will get to the root of the problem. Big Blue Bug Solutions will eliminate your ant problem at its source so that it doesn’t return. Contact us to learn more.