Most Common Ants in Mississippi

Right here in the southeastern part of the United States, there are several different types of ants. No matter which one you deal with, ant infestations are problematic. A single ant isn’t so bad, but chances are another one isn’t far behind. If you’re not careful, they can severely damage the wooden areas in your home. There are specific ants that can do more damage, such as carpenter ants. Whether they eat away at the wood or expand their nests, you might not even realize it until it’s too late.

 Mississippi is home to multiple species of ants. They are an invasive group of insects, so you should be careful not to underestimate them. You don’t want to end up paying 10’s of thousands of dollars in home damages. In any case, you should seek out professional assistance. However, ant removal needs to take into account specific types of insects. From fire ants to odorous house ants, there are particular means to identify them and deal with the situation.

 This article offers a comprehensive guide on how to deal with specific ant types. You can learn what the most common ants in Mississippi are. Not only that, but you can also learn how to remove these ants from your household. Most ants aren’t harmful to you personally, but they can be to your surroundings. Whether it’s the wooden structures in your home or the food in your refrigerator, you need to remove them as soon as possible. Here is what you need to know about the common ants in Mississippi.

 How To Get Rid Of Ants

 First and foremost, you need a basic rundown on what ant removal typically involves. You need to figure out the signs of ant invasions. It starts with a large number of ants within your area. It’s the most obvious sign there is a nest nearby, so you can try to follow them and see where they go. Ant pathways typically move in a single-line trail, so they are easy to find. They either head outside to their nest or a small pile of dirt. Ant nests look like little holes in the ground. However, they can be difficult to spot since these nests tend to be in dark areas. Some ant species also hide in walls, which can be tricky to deal with.

 You might need an inspection from a professional team of exterminators. It’s a burdensome task to do it by yourself, so don’t be afraid to ask for help in these situations. Given how many different ant species there are, these exterminators have distinct methods to approach the ants. More often than not, they locate the main hideout of these ants. Here, they can apply a number of techniques to rid them, which include barrier treatment. They also make sure to prevent the ants from gaining re-entry into your home.

 Speaking of ants, here are the different types this article covers:

• Carpenter ants
• Fire ants
• Odorous house ants
• Sugar ants
• Little black ants
• Pavement ants
• Crazy ants
• Argentine ants
• Thief ants
• Pharaoh’s ants
• Harvester ants

 Carpenter Ants

 These are some of the more destructive ants. Carpenter ants burrow through wooden structures for an elaborate tunnel system. They are generally within moist areas with darkness and dampness. You can find them through rotten wood pieces lying around.

 How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants

 An entire colony of 25,000-50,000 ants can be challenging to get rid of, especially since so many. What you can do is call an extermination team to remove nearby water sources that attract these ants. A team should also seal any openings within your home, such as small cracks in the wall. From there, they can use certain products to kill off the ants naturally.

 Fire Ants

 Fire ants are stinging variations with a red color scheme. Easily identifiable, they are known for painful bites. They are aggressive creatures, so be wary of their presence. Fire ants tend to look for scraps of food within your home, from which they bring back to their nests outside.

 How to Get Rid of Fire Ants

 Exterminators can find fire ant mounds by following trails they leave behind. You’re much better off leaving it to the pros since fire ants attack on sight. Exterminators can use bait to bring them out, from which they can apply sprays to disperse the ants.

 Odorous House Ants

 Odorous house ants are known as stink ants since they leave behind a scent when crushed. However, they have a reputation for being hard to kill since injured ants are known to keep working. Stink ants are relatively small and have black-to-brown colors.

 How to Get Rid of Odorous House Ants

 They have multiple colonies within small areas such as wall cracks, beneath the floors, and inside water pipes. Stink ants can be troublesome, so the best course of action is to seal potential openings. You should also make sure not to leave your garbage bags exposed since these ants typically search for food. Call exterminators if they do not disappear.

 Sugar Ants

 Sugar ants are true to their name since they are attracted to sweets. If you leave pastries outside you are bound to find some sugar ants. They are small but persistent in their efforts to find sweets. You can expect them in the kitchen area, such as your cabinets and sinks.

 How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants

 Since they leave behind a trail, you can follow them and leave behind bait to destroy their colonies. Make sure you also seal nearby openings within their nest. The excellent news is sugar ants aren’t as destructive as other counterparts, like the carpenter ants.

 Little Black Ants

 Little black ants are one of the most common ants. These are probably the ones you think of when you hear the word ant. Black ants are often found outside, where they leave extensive trails on sidewalks. Typically, these ants are common during the summertime.

 How to Get Rid of Little Black Ants

 Like any other ant, follow them back to their colony and leave behind bait; you can use a spray to deal with them. Black ants are small, so they might be difficult to find, but they are easier to spot if they travel in bigger groups.

 Pavement Ants

 Pavement ants can be found nearby driveways and sidewalks, which means they can get through your garage. Their colony is located within a large dirt mound, which you can find near the pavement. These ants can also shelter themselves in wood and stone.

 How to Get Rid of Pavement Ants

 Since they are attracted to moisture, try to remove water sources and seal off openings in your driveway. These ants aren’t particularly harmful, but you don’t want them to contaminate particular food in your fridge.

 Crazy Ants

 Raspberry crazy ants are considerably fast in their unpredictable movements, which makes them hard to catch. They are adaptable insects that can live in wet and dry areas.

 How to Get Rid of Crazy Ants

 You definitely need an exterminator crew for this one since crazy ants live in large numbers, move-in hard-to-predict ways, and interconnect their colonies both outside and inside. A team should control them with baits, sprays, and safe-to-use chemicals.

 Argentine Ants

 Argentine ants are destructive to home gardens since they eat away plant life. You can find them in moist areas underneath your home foundations, as well as dirt mounds outside.

 How to Get Rid of Argentine Ants

 Exterminators can get rid of these pesky ants through acidic baits to kill the colonies. Argentine ants breed rapidly, so it’s a situation that they must take care of immediately. Exterminators would have to do a thorough job through your entire household.

 Thief Ants

 Thief ants are golden in color and are one of the smaller and varieties. These are dangerous ants that forage through dead animals. As a result, they carry potential diseases and host parasites.

 How to Get Rid of Thief Ants

 Call an exterminator team to get rid of these ants. It would be best if you left it to their professional care. They can eliminate their access to food and water with seals and employ chemicals to kill them.

 Pharaoh’s Ants

 Pharaoh’s ants are transparently yellow insects with a penchant for disease spreading. They can be found in moist areas within your home.

 How to Get Rid of Pharaoh’s Ants

 Seal all nearby openings, prevent access points to your food supplies, and eliminate potential water sources. Consider pest control for the rest.

 Harvester Ants

 Harvester ants are poisonous, so avoid them at all costs. Aggression levels differ between different types of harvester ants. They tend to keep nests outside in a large dirt mound, which makes it easy to spot.

 How to Get Rid of Harvester Ants

 You can follow them back to their hideout and use bait. However, since they’re poisonous, you should call exterminators for the job.

 Conclusion

 Mississippi is home to several ant types, each with varying threat levels. With your newfound knowledge, you can stay one step ahead when it comes to ant invasions. Keep yourself and your household safe with these essential knowledgeable tips.

If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.