Ants Extermination in Modesto Ca

Argentine ants

The Argentine ants are actually from South America as you could probably tell by their name. However, over the last years, they have traveled to every continent in the world which makes them one of the worst Invaders. They’re especially common in California where they will wipe out other species of ants and create what’s known as a supercolony of their own. You can identify this ant by its dull brown color, attraction to sweets, and the musty odor they emit when crushed.

The Argentine ants will typically build homes near water so you can commonly spot them near plumbing, sinks, plants, and in gardens. They nest in the ground and can form nests up to 24 feet under the surface. They will seek food sources hundreds of feet from their nest and their colonies can combine to form what’s known as supercolonies. The supercolonies can sometimes be several hundred miles long.

In fact, there is a supercolony that goes from San Francisco to San Diego. Wherever these ants set up homes, they will quickly become the dominant species and reproduce rapidly.

This ant will typically enter your home during the warmer months searching for a more temperate climate and sources of water. To keep them out, it’s important to identify vulnerable points such as improperly sealed windows, under doors, and anywhere else that’s large enough for an ant to squeeze into your home. It’s also important to avoid keeping sweets exposed or left on the counter since these ants do love sugars. Give us a call if you spot this pest anywhere in or around your house.

Carpenter ants

You’ve almost definitely seen carpenter ants before. They’re one of the most common household ants in California and the United States as a whole.

Carpenter ants are named appropriately because they enjoy nesting in damp wood and carving it out to form a perfect little house. You can identify them by their black or black and red color and size of about a quarter inch long. They’re attracted to sweets, eggs, meat, and the juices of fruit plants.

They like to colonize outdoors near wood like downed trees, firewood, stumps, and fences. If you find them in your home, these are usually what’s known as satellite colonies and they’re often found by windows, doors, in walls, and subfloors.

Pharaoh ants

Pharaoh ants are notoriously difficult to exterminate and control. They were supposedly named Pharaoh ants because they used to plague ancient Egypt. They’re very small and have a yellow or honey-colored body like to nest indoors and forage at night.

They are considered one of the most difficult to exterminate because they are so small and often form colonies in cracks, crevices, furniture, and anywhere else small enough to fit an ant. They colonize quickly and Work together to form larger colonies.

They are especially a nuisance in hospitals where they can pick up and transmit bacteria and disease.

Thief ants

Thief ants are interesting because rather than killing other ants or working together with other ants, they instead form their home near other colonies so they can steal from them. The thief ant loves grease, protein, dead insects, and even dead animals. They are small, yellowish brown colored, and are often found nesting under rocks, in fallen trees, or in walls and cabinets. They can be difficult to get rid of because they are so small so it’s important to have a professional examine your home when they’re found.

California fire ant

Chances are you have encountered the California fire ant at some point in your life. They are called the fire and both because of their color and the fact that it burns like crazy when they bite you. They form their nests in the ground, typically outdoors but in close proximity to food sources. They can enter your home through any crack or crevice small enough for them to squeeze through and can become a nuisance quickly.

You will often see their nests in your yard. They look like little piles of sand with fire red ants crawling all over them. Often times children will stumble into these nests which can be a very painful experience.

Harvester ant

The Harvester ant is named such because they will commonly forage through gardens stripping patches and removing seeds which can result in bare spots. they can be an aggressive ant and their sting hurts almost as bad as a bee sting. They are a fire red color and will often form mounds throughout your yard.

Pavement ant

Pavement ants are light brown in color and sometimes black with pale legs and antennas. They get their name because they like to form their homes in the pavement and they will feed on almost anything. They prefer greasy foods and form large colonies containing thousands of ants with multiple queens. They forage around 10 yards from their nest and typically form their homes near sources of water.

Pavement ant colonies will fight each other and during summer it’s common to find them battling on sidewalks. When they enter your home, they can form colonies within your walls, behind baseboards, under floors, and within the insulation.

When nesting outdoors, you can find them under rocks, in the pavement, and near your shed. They are not known as an aggressive ant but they do possess the ability to bite.

Odorous house ant

The odorous house ant was given its name because of the terrible smell it emits when crushed. This scent has been described as being similar to rotting coconuts.

They enjoy feeding on dead insects, plants, seeds, and other fruits. They can form both small and large colonies with multiple queens and become a problem quickly. When they enter your house, they will usually form nests near a source of moisture. You often find them in your walls, plumbing, near water heaters, under toilets, and anywhere else that can provide them with water.

Velvety tree ant 

The velvety tree ant was named such because it has a velvety black abdomen. they like living in large colonies within trees, underneath rocks, other structures in your yard, and along streams. They emit a smelly odor when crushed which is similar to the odorous house ant.

Common Ant Issues 

Ants can cause problems both inside and outside of your home. We mentioned that they can form large ant hills within your yard and even expansive networks with many ant hills connected by underground tunnels. This is especially problematic if you work in your yard, garden, or have children that play outside. These ants are often red or “fire” ants which can inflict very painful bites. 

On the other end of the spectrum, you have the common “sugar ants” which are so often found in our kitchens. These ants like to pick up crumbs, invade cookies and cereal in the cabinets, and raid everything else they can within your house. They can make their way through light switches, walls, under baseboards, and through any extremely small crack in your house. That’s a big part of why they can be so hard to get rid of on your own. Fortunately, we can help you. You can always try the common home remedies to see if they work for you. But if you don’t want to hassle with that or your current methods haven’t worked, it may be time to call in the professionals. We offer affordable help for residential and commercial ant issues. Give us a call now for a free quote. 

More Modesto pests:

• Spiders
• Mosquitoes
• Ticks
• Snails & slugs
• Silverfish
• Earwigs
• Beetles