We oftentimes don’t take pavement ants seriously enough. We see them marching along minding their own business and disregard them completely. Besides, they are just little ants, what possible harm can they cause? Well, they are not just a nuisance; they can potentially contaminate food sources inside your home as well.
During the summer months, pavement ants can become a problem around homes in Massachusetts and Connecticut, especially homes that are built on concrete slabs. Pavement ant colonies can contain many queens and thousands of workers. The reproductive ants usually swarm during June or July. Once they have mated, the females will find their own nesting places to lay her eggs, start a new colony, and become a queen. Pavement ant workers can gain entry to homes through cracks and crevices; while they are foraging for food to eat like other insects, nuts, bread, seeds, honeydew, honey, meats, and cheeses, they often enter inside. If they get inside, they will begin to get comfortable close to their food source and build nests indoors inside insulation, behind walls, and underneath floors.
Pavement ants are usually brown or black in color and only grow to be about 1/8th of an inch long. Their name comes from their frequent nesting in or under cracks in pavement or concrete. Generally, pavement ants are not a danger to humans or pets, but they are considered a nuisance, especially in large numbers. These ants carry the risk of contaminating food sources since their bodies can carry bacteria. If ants have invaded any food sources, it should be thrown out entirely to avoid illness.
In an attempt to eliminate annoying and potentially dangerous pavement ants, many homeowners turn to DIY methods, but they are usually not very effective. In addition, the over the counter products can even be dangerous to use. You can try to keep these ants out of your home by sealing off all entry points, trimming back trees, keeping trash tightly sealed, and food securely put away out of the reach of pests, but ultimately, you will need to seek the help of a professional pest control company.
If you need help eliminating pavement ants from your home or yard, give us a call at American Pest Solutions today. We offer prompt home pest control services in Western Massachusetts and Hartford County, CT. We can help you get rid of pavement ant and other pest problems so that you can enjoy your summer pest free!