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How To Get Rid of Ants in the House

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Key Takeaways

Ants keep returning as long as their colony stays active and can find entry points, food or water in your home. Baits are more effective than sprays since worker ants carry them back to the colony, and getting rid of ants long-term means identifying the species, removing the colony and sealing entry points, not just handling the ants you see.

For homeowners in Texas, it’s all too common to spray your property for ants, only to see them return shortly after. If you’re searching for “how to get rid of ants in the house,” then it’s time to take an approach that addresses both visible ants and the hidden colony.

Here’s a closer look at how to best handle an ant infestation, from dealing with the different ant species to taking simple but effective steps to protect your home. It’s also essential to … Read Full Post »

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Flying Carpenter Ants: Signs, Causes & How to Get Rid of Them

. Posted by in , • Houston

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Flying carpenter ants are swarmers, not strays. Spotting them means a mature colony is nearby — possibly already inside your home’s walls or woodwork.
  • They don’t eat wood, but they still destroy it. Carpenter ants hollow out galleries for nesting, weakening beams, sills, and frames from the inside.
  • Spring is peak season in Houston. Swarms typically emerge between February and June, often after warm, humid days.
  • Misidentifying them as termites is a costly mistake. The two pests look similar but require completely different treatments.
  • Moisture is the root cause. Most infestations trace back to a leak, drainage issue, or damp wood somewhere on the property.

What Are Flying Carpenter Ants?

Flying carpenter ants are the winged, reproductive … Read Full Post »

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How To Identify Different Ant Species in Texas

. Posted by in , • Houston

Key Takeaways

  • Texas has more than a dozen ant species, and Houston deals with most of them. Warm, humid conditions make Greater Houston one of the most active ant environments in the country.
  • Tawny crazy ants are an invasive Houston problem. This species invades electrical equipment and is nearly impossible to control without professional treatment.
  • Color alone won’t identify an ant. Behavior, nesting habits, and body shape tell more than appearance, especially when several species share similar coloring.
  • Pharaoh ants are the most common indoor species in Texas homes. Standard sprays split their colonies and make infestations worse — not better.
  • Carpenter ants and termites are often confused. Knowing the difference matters: they require completely different treatments.

Common Ant Species … Read Full Post »

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Florida Carpenter Ants: Controlling An Infestation

. Posted by in , • Orlando

How to Get Rid of Florida Carpenter Ants

Orlando homeowners searching for pest control solutions often discover carpenter ants after noticing tiny piles of sawdust along baseboards or in attic crawl spaces. Learning how to get rid of carpenter ants starts with proper identification—confirming that the insects are actually Florida carpenter ants, not termites or another species.

Florida carpenter ants have a brown to rusty orange-colored head and thorax, with the bottom half of their bodies being black. This ant grows a circular ring of golden hairs around its abdomen. Antennae are bullet-shaped and segmented into 12 parts. Workers measure in at about a quarter of an inch to a half of an inch in length, while winged swarmers and the queen can reach up to three-quarters of an inch long.

If the ants on a … Read Full Post »

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Can Carpenter Ants Sting?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Carpenter ants are menacing ants that make bad house guests. It’s natural for homeowners to fear that carpenter ants sting. However, these pests do not sting. Instead, they may bite humans when they feel threatened.

Can Carpenter Ants Sting?

Carpenter ants are large, black ants that are bigger than other common ant species, so it’s normal to wonder if carpenter ants sting. Carpenter ants cannot sting, but they can bite.

However, getting bitten by a carpenter ant is a rare experience. These pests are not aggressive by nature, and they do their best to avoid contact with humans. Carpenter ants only bite in self-defense when they feel threatened, which may occur if you attempt to handle them or disturb their nest.

If you get bitten by a carpenter ant, it’s reassuring to know that their bites are typically not harmful. You may experience mild discomfort and burning, but it typically goes away on its … Read Full Post »

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What Do Red Fire Ants Eat?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

With their bites and destructive behaviors, red fire ants are a headache for homeowners. Red fire ants can take over lawns, gardens and sidewalks, building unsightly mounds to grow their colonies.

From their underground fortresses, they march into flower beds, snack on cat food and raid your pantry for anything sweet like honey, syrup or soda. And if you don’t deal with them, their colonies can multiply like crazy.

These insects hate the cold, so they mostly live in warmer climates, where the temperature is just right for nesting. If you’ve seen reddish-brown ants marching in long, determined lines, chances are, red fire ants are making themselves at home. When this happens, it’s time to contact pest control professionals for help controlling red fire ants.

What Do Red Fire Ants Eat?

For starters, red fire ants aren’t picky eaters. Just like the tawny crazy ant, red fire ants will devour almost anything. Their ability … Read Full Post »

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Do Carpenter Ants Have Two Sets of Wings?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

Can you identify carpenter ants? The more homeowners know about their appearance, the easier it is to spot and control a carpenter ant infestation. One interesting feature of carpenter ants is that some of them have two sets of wings while others have no wings at all.

If you have a carpenter ant problem, contact a pest control specialist. They will find the nest, treat the colony and can put prevention methods in place to stop the carpenter ants from returning.

Do Carpenter Ants Have Two Sets of Wings?

Do carpenter ants have two sets of wings? The answer depends on the type of carpenter ant. For example, worker carpenter ants do not have any wings.

Reproductive carpenter ants, on the other hand, do have two sets of wings. This type of carpenter ant is also known as the alates. They are the ants that leave their colony to mate and form new colonies.

Alates … Read Full Post »

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What Do Carpenter Ants Eat?

. Posted by in , • Tyler

Carpenter ants are often compared to termites because they tunnel through wood. However, unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood. They are fierce predators with a diverse diet that includes insects and plant matter.

What Do Carpenter Ants Eat?

Carpenter ants are known for building their nests in wood; however, they do not eat wood. Instead, they eat a wide variety of food that changes depending on whether they live outside or indoors.

Outdoor Carpenter Ants

Outdoor carpenter ants feed on living and dead insects, honeydew and various plant materials. These pests are predators and scavengers, so they are skilled at hunting down other living insects or finding dead insect carcasses. Carpenter ants prefer to eat other insects because they contain plenty of protein and nutrients.

However, carpenter ants are attracted to honeydew’s sweetness, which aphids and other sap-sucking insects secrete. Surprisingly, ants do not hunt and kill the insects to access the honeydew. … Read Full Post »

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Carpenter Ant Queen: Behavior and Identification

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Do you know how to tell a carpenter ant queen apart from other ants? While all ant species share several similarities, carpenter ant queens have a few distinctions that make them stand out.

Carpenter Ant Queen: Behavior and Identification

The easiest way to identify carpenter ant queens versus other carpenter ants is by their size. Carpenter ant queens can grow up to an inch in length, which is much longer than worker carpenter ants, which range from one-fourth to one-half of an inch.

Next, much like other ant species, carpenter ant queens can range in color. Most of them are reddish-brown but can be black, dark brown and yellow. Their color makes them hard to distinguish from other types of ants, so it’s important to use other factors to identify them.

For example, carpenter ant queens are known for having wings until they reach adulthood, which is a distinguishing factor. Female carpenter ants use … Read Full Post »

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How To Identify Red Fire Ants

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Do you know how to identify red fire ants? These pests are stealthy, and they can inflict pain with their bites. It’s important for homeowners to understand what they look like, where they nest and how they behave so that they can get in front of a red fire ant problem.

While working with a pest control company is the best way to deal with a red fire ant colony, there are prevention measures that homeowners can take to help deter these pests from their homes.

How To Identify Red Fire Ants

Fire ants are a major nuisance for homeowners, so it’s important to learn how to identify red fire ants to deal with an infestation. However, identifying these pests goes beyond knowing what they look like. It’s helpful to be able to recognize their behaviors and nest patterns.

Red fire ants are known for their reddish-brown bodies and large eyes. Their bodies have … Read Full Post »

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