Washington Ants

Jun 1

One ant in the kitchen can quickly turn into a dozen, which will continue to multiply until your home is completely engulfed. Pest Busters Olympia WA is here to help you understand Washington Ants and how they can be treated to get rid of them.

Washington: Types of Ants

Earth is home to an estimated 1,000,000 billion ants, with over 12,000 species. This is a lot of Ants! There are only four types of common ants in Washington.

Odorous House Ants
Carpenter Ants
Pavement Ants
Velvety tree ants

Odorous House Ants

The sugar ants are also known as odorous house ants. They can be 1/16 to 1/8 inches long and come in black or brown colors. When crushed, they emit a foul stench similar to rotten coconut. They are attracted to sweets and meats so they prefer the kitchen. It can be difficult for them to find their nest in your home due to their night vision. They can bite but they aren't very painful.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants are one of the largest ant species, with a length of 1/4 to 1/2 inch. However, the queen can grow up to 12 inches. This type of ant lives in moist, decaying, or hollow wood, and tunnels through it to build its nests. This can cause significant structural damage to your house.

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants can be found along sidewalks and driveways. However, they can also move indoors to find food. They can take over your compost bin, trashcan, garden, or even pet bowls.

Velvety tree ants

Velvety tree bugs are covered with fine, dense hairs. They nest in trees, stumps, logs, and other materials. They nest indoors in moist walls voids or wet wood. Velvety tree ants can also bite aggressively and inject a poison similar to scorpion stings.

What causes ants in the house?

Ants are always looking for water and food. They will tell the entire colony if they find food or water in your home. Even small things like crumbs on the floor or spilled juice on the counter can be beacons for ants. Once they have found a food source, the ants will leave a trail that leads back to their colony. If you are able to identify the source of an ant infestation, it is likely that you can eliminate the ants. This is not always true.

How to prevent ants from entering your home

It is easier to prevent ants from getting into your home than it is to remove an existing infestation. Simple tasks such as these can make a huge impact.

To prevent leftovers from sitting out for too long
Vacuum regularly to get rid of crumbs.
Clean up your counters especially after you have spilled something or prepared food.
Keep food in sealed containers to keep ants out
Seal cracks around doors and windows, and any gaps in the foundation of your home.
Check your home for moisture issues.
Trim any branches or limbs that touch your house. The ants might use them as a bridge.
Any ants that get through the barrier will be killed by perimeter spray treatments

How to get rid of ants in your house

Catching an infestation of ants early will give you a better chance of eliminating them yourself.

Store-bought Bait Stations work by providing tempting bait to foraging insects who then return it to their colony. The bait spreads and eliminates the entire colony.
Insecticidal Sprays Kill ants immediately and create a protective barrier for several days.

Both of these options will likely provide temporary relief and not lasting protection. You can only treat the ants that you can see if you don't identify the source of the infestation. Pest control professionals are needed to find the root cause of the problem. Pest Busters Olympia WA offers comprehensive service using safe and proven products to eliminate ants permanently.

Pest Busters Olympia WA

Olympia Wa

(360) 226 1790