Ants are one of the most diverse and interesting insects on our planet.  They are social insects, meaning that they work together as a team (divisions of labor) and can communicate with one another.  Individually they can carry huge amounts of weight relative to their body size, travel long distances for food/moisture, and many will fight to the death to protect their colony or food sources.  As a group or colony, these ants can be very bothersome, contaminate foods, and can even destroy property (ants have been known to cause electrical shorts in electronic devices and appliances).  In the Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) we only deal with several species of ants that invade our homes/businesses on a regular basis.

Odorous House Ants

Odorous House Ants, Tapinoma sessile are the number one pest that we deal with in the Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill).  Odorous House Ants are the small black/brown ants that you will find in many parts of your home.  If you crush these ants they emit a strong odor that has been described as “rotten coconut”.  They are a huge nuisance pest and can be typically found in the kitchen and bathroom areas of your home.  These ants are foraging in your home for food/moisture.  Once these ants find food/moisture in your home they will continue to return in search of more even if the food source has been cleaned or removed.

Odorous House Ants will naturally feed on honey due, secreted by aphids, on ornamental plants on the exterior of your home.  During extreme weather, too hot/cold, too wet/dry, these ants will enter the structure in search of food/moisture.  These ants have the ability to “bud” colonies, meaning that when a set of ants are trapped away from the nest or the nest is disturbed, a new nest can be created very quickly and one nest can now become two, three, or many more.  This is the reason this ant can be so hard to control.  Over the counter products many times can cause the problem to become much worse by splitting the colonies and making the ant much more difficult to control.

Innovative Pest Solutions, Inc. can solve your Odorous House Ant problems for you!  Our trained and certified technicians will evaluate your situation, inspect for nesting areas, place non-repellant materials and baits where the ants are living and foraging, and consult with you on reducing habitats around your home.

What to Expect

Although the number of ants will reduce dramatically after treatment, it is not uncommon to see live ants for the next two weeks.  This is because we are trying to eliminate the ants not just keeping them out of your home.  By using baits and non-repellant materials the control time is a little bit slower but will last much longer because we are eliminating the ants from your property, not just creating a barrier around the home that will wear out quickly, resulting in returning of ants in a small amount of time.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are the large, black or red/black ants that occur naturally in heavily wooded areas.  These ants can make their way indoors and nest in your crawlspace, attics, and walls of your home.  These large ants are considered wood destroying insects  because they can tunnel and tear into the wooden members of your home, causing damage to your structure.  Carpenter ants will usually attack areas of your home with high moisture due to roof leaks, plumbing leaks, etc.  Carpenter ants do not eat the wood but they will tear wood apart making room for their nests.  Typically when Carpenter Ants invade your home a nest is close by.  A thorough inspection is imperative to Carpenter Ant control.   Innovative Pest Solutions, Inc. can solve your Carpenter Ant problems for you!  Our trained and certified technicians will evaluate your situation, inspect and find nesting areas, and treat your home accordingly to eliminate these pests and prevent Carpenter Ants from returning.

Innovative Pest Solutions, Inc. can solve your Carpenter Ant problems for you!  Our trained and certified technicians will evaluate your situation, inspect for nesting areas, place non-repellant materials and baits where the ants are living and foraging, and consult with you on reducing habitats around your home.