Pharaoh Ants
Brief overview of pharaoh ants
Despite what their name suggests, pharaoh ants were first introduced into the United States from Africa, not Egypt. These ants are responsible for the spread of many diseases and pathogens and can also be found living across the United States, including in North Texas.
What do pharaoh ants look like?
Pharaoh ants are a very small species of ant, reaching only about 2 mm in length. Their bodies range from light yellow to red in color and they typically have red or black colored abdomens. The queens are usually a darker color than the worker ants. Pharaoh ants live together in very large colonies.
Where do pharaoh ants nest?
Pharaoh ants prefer to nest indoors and are typically found nesting in the warm, humid areas of your home located near food sources like behind baseboards, in walls voids, underneath floors, or behind large appliances. Pharaoh ants are also known to nest and become very problematic inside hospitals, restaurants, and food processing facilities.
What do pharaoh ants eat?
Pharaoh ants are not picky eaters and will feed on a wide variety of foods including other insects, sweets, oils, and proteins.
Are pharaoh ants dangerous?
Yes, pharaoh ants are very dangerous to have living inside of any North Texas home or business. Pharaoh ants can carry and transmit serious diseases to people including salmonella and Streptococcus. Having pharaoh ants living inside hospitals is very challenging as these tiny ants will invade IV lines and contaminate patient wounds.
These ants are also very difficult to control because they live in such large colonies. A single colony of pharaoh ants can consist of thousands of workers and hundreds of reproductive females! In addition, pharaoh colonies have the ability “bud” when the colony senses danger. When this occurs, a small group of workers and one queen migrate away from the original colony to start another colony. This budding makes it very difficult to control pharaoh ants because instead of a single colony, you now have multiple ant colonies to deal with!
How do I get rid of pharaoh ants?
If you live in Lewisville, Denton, or elsewhere in the North Texas area, contact us at Adams Exterminating at the first sign of an ant infestation! Our team of pest control professionals is well-equipped to rid your property of dangerous pharaoh ants and other dangerous and nuisance pests. Give us a call today to learn more about our residential ant control services and commercial ant control options.
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