Why Hire an Ant Exterminator in NJ?
If you’re a resident of Ocean County, NJ, you may be having trouble with carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are one of the most common invaders of homes in the northeastern United States, causing significant damage to NJ homes every year.
In United States and Canada, there are about 700 species of ants. Of these, only about 25 species commonly infest New Jersey homes. Ants are one of the most successful groups of insects.
They are social insects that live in colonies. Ant colonies include a collection of workers, one or more reproducers, eggs, larvae and pupae. Ant colonies build structures called “nest,” which are maintain by worker ants. Many species prefer to nest in the ground; others will be found in wood such as dead logs, hollow trees or even within structures.
Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not consume the wood, but rather chew tunnels in the wood to create nests. With average colonies reaching numbers upwards of 20,000 workers, carpenter ants are not insects that should be ignored. Thankfully, if you’re looking for an ant exterminator in NJ, Steve Adams from Patriot Property Restoration has you covered.
Types of Ants in New Jersey
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are the type of ant that most people associate with ants in the home. Carpenter ants build colonies by chewing up moist pieces of wood with their strong teeth, which they find in damp areas of the forests. LEARN MORE
Citronella Ants
Citronella ants have an orange-brown appearance and are named from the lemony aroma they emit when crushed. Citronella ants are underground insects that feed on other insects’ waste. These ants are swarmers, meaning they move to other colonies by sending forth their flying kin. LEARN MORE
Acrobat Ants
Acrobat ants have a light brown coloration and are named for their ability to raise their abdomen over their thorax when startled. These ants, which are about an eighth of an inch long and have a stinger and a segmented body, can bite if the colony is disturbed. LEARN MORE
Odorous House Ants
Odorous house ants, sometimes known as “sweet ants,” are typically 1/16th to 1/8th inch long. While they get their name from the almost sweet smell they emit when crushed, these ants are particularly drawn to food left in garbage cans and worktops. They forage in swarms and can be spotted on floors and counters while looking for sweet drinks and snacks. Because of their small size, they can get into your home through very small openings and into boxes and food containers.
The ability of odorous house ants to proliferate via budding is one of the reasons they’re so tough to get rid of after they’ve entered your home. Due to the fact that a single colony of house ants has numerous queens that lay eggs, these swarms can grow very quickly once inside your home. Despite the fact that ants do not harm people, waking up to a swarm of ants eating on yesterday’s toast crumbs is a major annoyance.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are brownish or black in color, have antennae, and are about 1/8 inch long. In the spring, look for swarms of these animals on any sidewalk or patio where food has been left out. Pavement ants, like other ants, are opportunistic eaters who devour whatever they can find. Pavement ants prefer to establish their nests under pavement, stone, wood, and building slaps, and can swarm inside slab-built structures, especially in the spring. A pavement ant colony is usually modest, but multiple queens bud into neighboring colonies, making them a nuisance once they’ve decided to live with you. They’re also particularly difficult to eradicate since they congregate beneath your home’s foundation rather than at a single entry point.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are tiny, golden, and nearly transparent. These ants are adept foragers who will return to the nest as soon as they discover a potential food source to notify the others. Pharoah ants, sometimes known as “sugar ants” in the South, reproduce swiftly, find seemingly minor food sources quickly, and cause havoc wherever they go.
How Ants Enter Your Home
Ants find their way in through any open, unsealed space. This includes cracks in the wood and gaps in the window or old weather stripping. Once inside, they hunt for food and moisture. That’s why you’ll see them most often in your kitchen and bathroom.
Ant Nesting
When the ants are inside of your home, they may nest inside depending upon the type of ant that is there. In addition, ants can also build nests in many outdoor locations, and they will simply enter the home in order to find food or water.
Chemical Trails
Ants will follow what is known as a scent trail. As they are moving about, they are leaving behind chemicals that contain pheromones. Other ants that follow behind them are able to do so because they can sense the pheromones and it pulls them right into the food source. Unfortunately, that source may just be in your home. That is why you often see ants following the same path, even though it may not make complete sense.
While most of these ants are harmless, carpenter ant infestations can pose a serious threat to your property, because they tunnel their way through wood, causing damage to your home.
Every spring, the ants return like clockwork. It’s that time of year when hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of ants emerge from their winter hiding places, ready to mate, feed, and, if left unchecked, infest your New Jersey home and property! The list above discuss the details about the most common ant species found in New Jersey, as well as what you can do this spring and throughout the year to protect your property and home from these annoying, damaging, and sometimes dangerous pests!