Pest Control for Ants

Did you know there are over 10,000 types of ants!  Thankfully they don’t all live in Boerne or even in Texas. And Covenant Pest Control can help to eliminate the ants that decide to take up residence in your home and the fire ant that want to live in your yard.

4 Common Types of Ants in Boerne, TX

The most common ants found in Texas are carpenter ants, acrobatic ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and sugar ants.  You can identify the different species of ants by their distinct body regions, color, and size.

1.  CarpenterAnts

There are many different species of carpenter ants. The one you are most likely to encounter is about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch long with a reddish-brown head and body and a black tail.

Carpenter ants tend to build nests inside dead, damp wood.  Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood.  However, the ants can still cause extensive damage to your home as they tunnel through the wood and make their nests.

If you have dead trees or piles of wood on the ground near your home, it can be an invitation for these ants to invade your home.  Make sure you remove any dead brush and firewood from around your home.

It’s most common to see carpenter ants in late winter or early spring when the ants come out of their nest to mate and build new colonies. If you see large ants with wings, these carpenter ants are likely inside your home.

You’ll want to call for a home WDI (wood destroying insect) inspection as soon as possible.

2. Acrobat Ants  

Acrobatic ants are small, ranging in size from 1/16^th to 1/8^th of an inch. While they can range in color from yellowish-brown, black, to multicolored, the most common color in Boerne is reddish-brown. They’re easily recognizable by their heart-shaped abdomen.

Acrobatic ants have the unique ability to lift their abdomen over the rest of their body giving the appearance of a circus acrobat. They use this as a defense mechanism if disturbed.

Acrobatic ants also emit a foul odor when they feel threatened.

Unfortunately, acrobatic ants can damage your home by tunneling through wood, particularly  water damaged wood around windows and doors.

3. Fire Ants

There are over 200 species of fire ants. These ants are red and black with large eyes and two nodes on their bodies.  However, the most memorable feature of a fire ant is its bite!

If you’ve ever felt the burning sting of an ant bite, it is likely from a fire ant. The bite is painful and causes an itching blister.

If you experience a fire ant bite, wash the area with soap and water and apply an over-the-counter antiseptic and anti-itch cream. If the bite shows signs of swelling, apply a cold compress.  As with any insect bite or sting, if your symptoms show signs of concern, seek medical attention immediately.

Fire ants work as a colony to attack anything that threatens their home or their food gathering.  That can be a child playing in the yard, a fawn left to hide in the grass, or someone working or mowing the grass.

To keep your yard enjoyable, you’ll want to get rid of these fire ant mounds from your yard.

4. Sugar Ants or Pharaoh Ant

Sugar ants are small ants commonly found inside homes. They live inside cracks and crevices, inside light sockets and walls, and anywhere that’s warm and cozy.

The most common species of sugar ant is the pharaoh ant. These are tiny, red ants around 1/12 to 1/16^th of an inch long.

Pharaoh ants don’t sting, bite, or swarm like other ant species. But they love sweets, hence the name sugar ants.

And while they may not be destructive to your home, they can be a nuisance in the kitchen.  Any food or liquid spills will attract these ants in large numbers. And any food that is not tightly seal will become their feast.