What Makes Ants Superior by Nature

Ants are a superior pest by nature because, quite simply, there are so many of them. With impressive reproduction rates, their sheer numbers help them outnumber any other insect around. Many ant colonies house multiple queens who lay up to 1,000 eggs per day. It makes sense, then, that their populations come to dominate the areas in which they reside. Colonies can contain thousands or even millions of ants – numbers that most pests simply can’t match.

The second big reason ants have become the top pest problem is their social makeup. Other pests like spiders typically live in isolation, while ants are “social insects” that work together as one unit. It’s not uncommon to see ants protect one another or even give their lives for their colony. When starting a new nest, colonies send out scouts that look for a food source and often die in the process. They leave behind pheromones that trail all the way back to the nest. This provides the colony a direct route to a tasty meal.

The Southern California Ant Takeover

Ants have taken advantage of travel to make it to virtually every corner of the Earth. The more we become a globalized society, the easier it is for ants to reach commercial and travel hubs like Southern California via cargo ships, trucks, and even airplanes. It’s hard to imagine tiny ants surviving at 30,000 feet, but it’s indeed possible. In our region, there are two foreign species – often called “tramp ants” – that have quickly taken over: Argentine ants and red imported fire ants.

Rather than the invading ants having to adjust to new environments, we’ve already done the work for them, adjusting ourselves with green lawns, food-filled buildings, and interiors with plenty of hiding places. Southern California used to be full of odorous house ants and harvester ants, but now sees Argentine ants outcompete them in crowded cities while red imported fire ants have come to dominate the desert.

In the City: Argentine Ants

Argentine ants may not sting like fire ants, but they make up for it with their overall dominance as a species. The reason they’ve replaced many native ants in our region is because:

• They’re prolific reproducers – Argentine ants are set up to outnumber other ants, with more queens per colony and, thus, more offspring. They take the term “strength in numbers” to a whole new level, often winning physical battles, too.
• They’re not aggressive toward their own – Unlike other ants, Argentine ant colonies work together, often joining forces in one “supercolony.” It’s even rumored that there’s an Argentine supercolony in Southern California.

At Lloyd Pest Control, nearly 95 percent of ant infestations we deal with in the city involve the Argentine species. They’re attracted to overwatered lawns and tropical plants, which offer an environment like their native Amazonian region of South America.

Argentine ants prefer to nest outdoors, looking for places in trees, soil, or under logs. From there, they then trek indoors in search of food, bringing it back to the nest with pheromone trails as their arsenal.

In the Desert: Red Imported Fire Ants

In the Southern California desert (notably, the area stretching from Palm Springs to Coachella), fire ants reign supreme. Two species call the desert home: the native fire ant and the invasive fire ant, also called the red imported fire ant.

Both species crave dry environments – hence, they’re both fond of the desert. But it’s the red imported fire ant that’s more concerning because it’s much more aggressive.

Red imported fire ants’ colonies, like Argentine ant colonies, are bigger than most ant colonies – with populations often numbering in the millions. They live underground, coming to the surface in search of nearby food sources.
Unlike Argentine ants, they spend all their time outdoors, seeking nearby insects, honeydew, and vegetables to satisfy their omnivorous appetite. Be wary of finding the ants near you – their large dirt mound nests are everywhere from backyards to parks to and baseball fields.

A good reason to be wary of fire ants is their stinging ability, which, added to their massive numbers, makes them a big health threat. Taking care of a nest sooner rather than later is key to avoiding a painful encounter.

If threatened, the ants will send out an alarm pheromone, quickly pouring out through the opening of their nest to attack you relentlessly. They don’t sting once, but over and over – there have been instances of people getting stung thousands of times. Ouch!

How to Fight Back Against Ants

While ants are the world’s number one pest nuisance for a reason, there are steps you can take to stop their takeover. To prevent Argentine ants from infesting, do the following:

• Take away the food sources by wiping up crumbs and keeping food in sealed containers.
• Make it harder for them to get indoors by sealing cracks and voids and keeping bushes and trees away from your structure.
• Prevent attracting them to your yard in the first place by not overwatering your lawn.

When it comes to fire ants, there’s not as much you can do to prevent infestations. Fortunately, they’re only found outdoors, so the best thing you can do is keep an eye out for their nests once they pop up. If you spot one on your property, the first thing you should do is call in the professionals for safe ant control.

Professional Ant Control in Southern California

At Lloyd Pest Control, we use two different methods for both Argentine and fire ants: insecticides (for smaller colonies) and baits (for larger colonies). Baits are taken back to the nest by workers, and within a few days, they take down an entire colony – including the queens. Contact us for thorough ant control in Southern California today.

The post How Ants Became Southern California’s Number One Nuisance Pest first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

Southern California: A Dastardly Antscape

Before examining what sets each species apart, let’s first examine the origin story of California ants in general.

Along with bees and wasps, ants emerged as a member of the Hymenoptera order. This may seem odd, as ants don’t seem too similar to the other two members on the surface. But, like bees and wasps, ants are social insects. This means they live together in colonies led by queens. In addition, their segmented bodies look like those of the flying, stinging insects, and many ants possess flying and stinging abilities.

The types of weather that most often bring ants indoors are wet winters and hot summers. Dense downpours and scorching heat – both common in Southern California – make the outdoors too harsh for them. To support their colonies, ants often enter homes to seek food and/or shelter. But the habits of each differ by species, and your likelihood of an encounter depends on what your property offers them.

The Notorious Odorous House Ant

Odorous house ants’ villainous characteristics make them hard to escape. They’re clever, hiding in walls and under floors to avoid detection. They’re always at work, foraging for food at all times of the day. To add to that, they crave your food, making them one of the most likely culprits of a home infestation. You may spot them in your kitchen, as they eat what we eat: sugary foods, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, and even proteins.

This species of ant got its name from the odor it produces when crushed (many compare it to the smell of rotten coconut). Odorous house ants form massive colonies that often number in the thousands. Given their powers and abundance, you might consider ant baits to eliminate infestations. When worker ants bring the poisonous bait back to their nest, the entire colony is destroyed. But to keep these wrongdoers away for good, the best thing you can do is remove open food sources.

The Invasive Argentine Ant

Picture a supervillain so power-hungry that it eliminates other competing villains. That’s the Argentine ant, who has largely displaced the odorous house ant throughout California. Unlike odorous house ants, Argentine ants prefer to nest outside, coming inside to retrieve food to bring back to their colony. Since they arrived in the US in the late 1800s, these miscre-ants have dominated our state through an enhanced set of superpowers. Their strengths include:

1. Ability to survive in conditions that other ants can’t
2. Destructive tendencies toward other ants
3. High tolerance of neighboring Argentine ant colonies

There’s good reason Argentine ants are considered one of the world’s Top 100 worst animal invaders (#48, to be exact). Not only are they a risk to other ants, but they’re also a risk to the California ecosystem. Because Argentine ants outlast native ants, they endanger plants and insects that need natives to support the local ecology. What’s worse is that our homes tend to really attract this enemy. Sweet foods like syrups and jellies make them swarm kitchens. To best control Argentine ants, baits are employed indoors, while granule or spray treatments are performed to build a perimeter outdoors.

The Destructive Carpenter Ant

Carpenter ants’ most notable superpower is their ability to chew through wood. But they don’t eat it like termites do. Instead, they take advantage of their power to tear through the wood and create nests. Carpenter ants build their homes in wooden structures, specifically ones that are moist or hollow. This includes trees, logs, fences, and window frames. If they’re on your property, you might see worker ants foraging for food, or – if you’re listening close enough – even hear a slight crackling sound as they gnaw through wood.

Like many ant species, baits are often effective against carpenter ants. But to keep the frustrating foes away for good, remove rotted wood, tree stumps, and other attractive habitats. This species is known to be more destructive than odorous house ants and Argentine ants, so professional pest control is imperative to limit their damage. Our termite division at Lloyd Pest Control also takes on carpenter ants, which – as wood-destroying organisms – require a separate license and training.

The Threatening Fire Ant

Compared to the other three ant supervillains, fire ants are by far the most aggressive. Be careful when approaching them, as they will use their power to sting if they feel threatened. They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty, and often feed on insects and rodents. Even more frightening is the chance they’ll nest in or under your home. But on most occasions, you’ll spot them nesting in a large, open area like your lawn (look for multiple large dirt mounds).

California fire ants mostly wreak havoc in Riverside and San Bernardino. While they also infest parts of Los Angeles, the closer you live to the desert, the more likely you are to encounter them. Again, baits are an option for self-eradication, but these ants require a slightly different approach. Treat each mound until all ants are knocked out. We use special granule treatments that trick the ants into destroying themselves. Who’s dastardly now?

Stop the Most Heinous Ants with Lloyd Pest Control

Southern California is a haven for ant supervillains. Our homes and businesses offer them everything that they need. Each species has different powers that aid them in their pursuits. Lloyd Pest Control understands their schemes, and our technicians are the heroes standing ready to save the day. If you’re having a problem with ants or another mal-intentioned pest, we’re here to help. With our tried-and-true techniques, we’ll allow you to live in your home without the menace of pests.

For your ant control solutions, get an instant quote or call us at 1-(800) 223-2847.

The post Profiling California’s Least Wanted: Ants first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.