The Ants That Call North Texas Home

Everybody knows that everything's bigger in Texas, and this can be true for ant infestations as well. While the Texas ants aren't actually bigger, they certainly have no trouble multiplying into large colonies to invade homes and businesses. Some of the most common ants in Texas include the acrobat ants, carpenter ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and rover ants. All of these ants pose a threat to your home, and our experts at Adams Exterminating will help you quickly identify and eradicate your ant problem before it gets out of hand. Furthermore, we'll work with you to develop ant prevention strategies for in and around your home.

Acrobat Ants

These tiny ants get their name because of their ability to lift their abdomen over their heads. They are light brown to black in color and the workers only grow to be around 2.5 and 4 mm long.

Threats: Although acrobat ants usually live outdoors in nests that they build in dead or decaying wood, sometimes they invade homes and establish colonies inside tunnels and galleries previously carved out by carpenter ants or termites. Therefore, if you see tiny black ants in your Texas home, this could be an indicator that you have another ant species infestation as well. Acrobat ants are also moisture pests. This means, if they are inside your home, there may be water leaks and/or damage to your foundation and walls. Once inside, these ants will make their way into pantries and other areas where food is stored, and sometimes they will emit an unpleasant odor when they are disturbed. If acrobat ants have established themselves in your home, look out for large numbers of workers or swarms of winged reproductives looking to start new colonies.

Carpenter Ants

Unlike the small acrobat ant, these are among the largest ants that could infest your Texas home. These shiny black ants range length depending on their role within their colony; workers can reach lengths of 13 mm, winged swarmers can be as long as 18 mm, and queens grow to 20 mm long.

Threats: While not quite as destructive as termites, these ants cost United States property owners hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Specifically, they are among the leading ants in Texas to create problems in or around your home or business. They chew into the wood of a structure in order to dig out tunnels and galleries to establish nests. In those nests, they multiply and grow their numbers. If carpenter ants continue to tunnel and multiply, extensive damage to a structure will develop over time. Ant prevention treatments that eliminate food, water, and shelter sources combined with professional extermination will help keep these pests at bay.

These tiny ants are reddish to dark red in color and they range in size from 3 to 5 mm in length.

Threats: These are probably the worst kind of ant to have on your Texas property. Nothing can ruin a picnic faster than a mound of fire ants swarming out to bite you. A bite from a fire ant can leave painful, itchy welts, with an associated pustule that can last for a week or more. While a couple of bites are usually no big deal, several bites can cause problems. This is especially troubling for individuals who are not able to move away from these ants when they swarm. If you are caring for a small child, an elderly person, or someone who is unable to move to safety, be aware of where they are outside. These small red ants build their nests underground, and therefore you’re most likely to have a problem with them outside. Our professionals at Adams Pest Company will initially inspect your property to locate and eliminate nests.  Then, we will formulate a customized ant prevention plan to prevent them from returning to your yard.

Odorous House Ants

These ants are dark brown to black in color, and workers grow to be around 3 mm in length.

Threats: These ants give off a distinct foul odor when squashed that smells similar to rotten coconut, which is where they get their name. Like other ant species in Texas, odorous house ants come inside in search of food, shelter, and water. Since these ants like to establish themselves inside structures, this can become a real problem as they grow in number and contaminate surfaces and food.

Rover Ants

Adult rover ants measure at around 1/2 to 2 mm in length and they vary in color from pale yellow to blackish-brown.

Threats: Although these are not an aggressive species, these Texas ants do tend to invade properties in large numbers. Furthermore, they are notoriously difficult to control, especially in the spring and summer seasons. They prefer to build their nests inside potted plants, bathroom and kitchen areas, inside electrical outlets, underneath shingles, and behind wall voids. Like other species of ants in Texas, they enter your home in search of food, shelter or water, so their presence inside your home may be an indication of moisture or fungus problems.

Ant Prevention: Keep These Pests Out Of Your Texas Home

Spring and summer are the best times to reduce ant populations on your property, but you can employ these ant prevention techniques anytime to help keep these pests away from your home:

• Locate and eliminate unwanted water leaks in and around your property.
• Remove debris from around your home that could be a potential nesting place for Texas ants.
• Remove common food sources like unsealed containers or contaminated countertops.
• Ensure that all trash remains in tightly sealed containers
• Examine your exterior walls and sealing up gaps and holes to keep ants from finding ways inside.

Partner with a professional pest control company to control ant traffic in and around your home or business. Here at Adams Exterminating Company, we know how the ants of Texas behave as well as the methods needed to get rid of them quickly and completely. You don't have to live destructive ants anymore! We offer both home pest control plans and commercial pest control solutions; let Adams help today!