More than 1,000 ant species inhabit the United States, but in Tupelo, the four most-common ants are carpenter ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants.
Read on for more about how to identify these ants on your Tupelo property and the problems that ants can cause in your home. Learn how to get rid of ants on your property completely, and get some tips on ant prevention.
The Types Of Ants That Invade Tupelo Properties
All ant species share similarities, including large heads with compound eyes, elbowed antennae, and strong jaws. However, there are several details to tell carpenter ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants apart from one another. Read below for more about each of the four most-common ants in Tupelo:
- Carpenter ants have oval-shaped bodies that measure six to 12 millimeters in length. They may appear red, brown, or black in color and build their colonies within wooden structures such as wooden support beams or wooden furniture.
- Fire ants are easily identified by their reddish-brown to reddish-black bodies and stinger. They measure between two to six millimeters long, and in addition to a painful sting which results in a welt, they also bite, which produces a burning sensation. Fire ants are known to remove the rubber insulation from telephone wiring, which poses a fire risk.
- Odorous house ants have dark brown or black, oval-shaped bodies that are tiny, measuring just 2.4 to 3.3 millimeters in length. When viewed from the side, odorous house ants appear to have an unevenly-shaped thorax. These ants build their nests in the soil underneath boards, stones, mulch, and logs.
- Pavement ants are 2.5- to three millimeters long with parallel lines on their thorax and heads. They range in color from light brown to black, and they build their nests in the cracks in driveways and underneath sidewalks, hence the name “pavement” ants.
The Problems Ants Can Cause On Your Tupelo Property
Of all four ant species common in Tupelo, carpenter ants are the most damaging to homes, while fire ants are the most dangerous to human safety.
The activity of carpenter ants can be unnoticed by homeowners for quite some time. While they are being overlooked, however, they are destroying the integrity of your home, literally hollowing it from the inside out!
Fire ants will also cause damage to your property, with problems to structural components and electrical equipment, as well as to crops and gardens. They’re also known to build their nests in between the walls. Fire ants are a direct threat to people and pets that may contact their nests due to their painful bites and stings.
Although odorous house ants and pavement ants aren’t linked to structural damage, they are nuisance pests, meaning their sheer presence is likely to irritate the comfort of those in the home.
The Best Way To Protect Your Tupelo Home From Ants
The most effective way to protect your Tupelo home from ants is with help from professionals at McCary Pest Control. With nearly 50 years of experience, having served the Tupelo area as a local, family-owned business since 1972, our services are designed to eradicate these four most-common ant species. This also includes Argentine ants, pharaoh ants, thief ants, other species, and many more pests.
Five Natural Ways To Keep Ants Away From Your Tupelo Property
Other than using professional pest control services, there are natural solutions for preventing ants from invading your Tupelo home or property:
- Use natural oils, such as peppermint, tea tree, and lemon eucalyptus oils, as these can work as a natural deterrent against ants and other pests. Mix five to 10 drops of oil or saturate a cotton ball with oil and place it in areas of the home where ants have been seen.
- Use boiling water. If you spot ant hills or holes on our property, pouring hot water down these holes will immediately kill all ants directly underneath.
- Seal up all potential entry points. If ants are finding their way into your home, there must be a way in somewhere. Inspect the foundation of your home and all exterior-facing walls for signs of damage, and repair all minor cracks and crevices with caulking.
- Remove all potential sources of food. Keeping food secured in air-tight containers and trash stored in lidded cans can prevent ants from reaching these places. Also, remember to clean hard-to-reach but commonly dirtied areas, such as underneath couch cushions and around standing kitchen appliances and pet bowls.
- Remove all houseplants that have ants. Inspect all potted houseplants for signs of ants, and remove all that appear infested. To protect the others, surround each plant with lemon or orange rinds.
Get rid of ants in your Tupelo home, for good, by calling McCary Pest Control today at 877-756-PEST.