With over 12,000 species of ants worldwide, and 200 are within southern california. It can be difficult to identify the types of ants that enter our homes.
At 1st Stryke, we have seen certain species repeatedly, and we know exactly how to identify them.
Here’s a list of the common ants you’ll find within SoCal.
Argentine Ant. The argentine ant is arguably the most common household ant you’ll find in this geographic area. It aggressively invades the home and it breeds rapidly. And because of their rapidly multiplying colonies, an infestation of argentine ants are notoriously hard to eliminate.
Thief Ant. These ants are a brownish-yellow, and they got their name because they “steal” the larvae from other ant species. They’re particularly attracted to greasy foods, and are known to be able to infiltrate food packages that other ants cannot.
Carpenter Ant. The carpenter ant is easily identifiable due to their large bodies. They get their name due to the way they excavate the wood and form smooth tunnels from it. In a carpenter ant infestation, the main sign will be small opening in the surface of wood with fine piles of sawdust debris below the opening.
Pavement Ant. This ant’s name is derived from its practice of building nests in pavement cracks. This ant is known to travel through electrical wire and plumbing, making it a nuisance to deal with.
Imported Fire Ant. This ant derives from South America, and is particularly dangerous due to its stinging bites. They also can kill other ant species and are known to multiply its colonies quickly.
Ants are unwelcome in any home. The best way to prevent them from infiltrating the home is to keep to put food away, seal and caulk spots where you see ants entering, and use a spray bottle of soapy water when you see them inside the home. But if it seems like you have an infestation, the advice above may not be enough. You may need a pest control company to find the source of the ants and do everything needed to remove them from the home. 1st Stryke will conduct a full inspection, identify how the ants are infiltrating, and will take strong measures to eliminate any trace of ants from the home. Contact us today to take care of your ant problem.
