Mercer County Ant Control and Exterminator
Ants are among the most common insects found in Mercer County, NJ. To protect you, your home, or your business from pesky ants, you need to learn about their behavior so you can take steps towards treatment and prevention.
Understanding the Habits and Life Cycle of Mercer County Ant Species
Ants live in large colonies and work together to collect resources to survive and reproduce. Every ant colony has a queen at its heart. The queen’s workers will forage for food sources for the queen. Once male and female reproducing ants are fully grown, they will leave their colony and settle into a new location where they can build a new colony, explain the local mercer county exterminators at Viking Pest.
The ant life cycle has four stages: being in an egg, hatching in larvae, envelop into a cocoon, and metamorphose into a full-grown ant. In Mercer County, you can find over a dozen species of ants, both native and invasive. Ant infestations are common because the ants are looking for food, shelter, and resources in Mercer County homes and businesses, explain the pest management professionals at Viking.
How to Identify Mercer County Ants
While there are over a dozen species of ants in Mercer County, there are a few that are most commonly responsible for the home and business invasions. These include:
- Carpenter Ants: There are multiple species of carpenter ants, but the ones found in Mercer County are usually black carpenter ants. These ants are large and distinct with their full black coloring. The nest in wet or rotting wood, making them a frequent invader of homes and businesses.
- Pavement Ants: Pavement ants are found underground, usually under slabs of concrete. They only emerge to forage for food or other resources. Pavement ants range in color from dark brown to black and primarily eat sugar, proteins, and grains from kitchens.
- Pharaoh Ants: Originating from Africa, these ants can’t stand cold weather so they are only found in Mercer County during the warmer months of the year.
How to Prevent Ant Infestations in Mercer County Homes and Businesses
Ants invade homes and businesses for one reason: food. If you find ants in your home, it’s likely because they have found a food source they can access. That’s why the first step in eliminating your ant problem is to cut off the food source. Here are some essential tips for keeping ants out of your home and business from the pest control experts at Viking:
- Keep a tight lid on your garbage can and remove garbage from the home each day before going to bed, especially if there is food in your garbage.
- Keep pet food containers clean and make sure there isn’t food left in the bowls overnight.
- Clean all spills right away, especially if it was a sugary food or drink because sugar attracts ants.
- Look for cracks and holes in your home or business property’s exterior. Promptly cover the holes and cracks to prevent ants from getting in.
- Keep trees and shrubbery on your property trimmed to prevent ants from using branches to gain access to your building.