The word season is most often used when speaking of the divisions of the year called spring, summer, autumn, and winter, but it is also used to describe set periods of time when a certain thing will occur. In some places, spring is called mud season and summer is called bug season. If you're a hunter, you may prefer to call the seasons by what animal you're able to hunt. Here in Louisville, spring is the beginning of ant season. Do you know what ants you can expect to invade your home during this season? More importantly, do you know which one is the most dangerous? Here's what you need to know.
Odorous House Ants
These are tiny, dark brown to black ants that are only about 1/18 of an inch in length but drive people crazy when they invade because they leave a smell of coconut when they are crushed. And, if they find the wrong place to infest, you may find yourself crushing quite a few of these little ants. Most folks in Louisville consider these ants a nuisance pest, but under the right conditions, they can cause illness in a home. This is an ant that can contaminate food left on counters and leave harmful bacteria on food prep surfaces. It is important to understand that the ants crawling around in your trash may be the same ants on your counter or kitchen table.
Pavement Ants
These are tiny, reddish-brown to black ants that are slightly larger than odorous house ants, and are usually about 1/16th of an inch in length. Of all the ants that will frustrate you during "ant season," these are the least dangerous. Pavement ants, as their name suggests, prefer to be outside in the cracks of the pavement. But, they also like the cracks in cellar walls and basement windows, which is how they sometimes get into homes and cause a nuisance.
Carpenter Ants
These are the largest of the ants that will get into your Louisville home, and the most dangerous ant on the list. Not dangerous in terms of illness, but dangerous to the equity of your home. These large black and reddish ants, which average about ? of an inch, chew tunnels and galleries in wood. If left untreated, this damage can lead to serious problems and costly repairs.
When you see any of these ants invading your Louisville home it is time to take action and get Action. Action Pest Control is ranked 59 out of over 22,000 pest companies in the United States. When it comes to eradicating nuisance or dangerous pests, you can trust Action.