Middlesex County, NJ Ant Control
Ants are one of the most common and worrisome pests found in households and businesses in Middlesex County. To clear ants away from your property or to keep them out, it’s important to understand the behavior of ants. From there, you can successfully keep your home or business protected from these pesky insects.
Understanding the Habits and Life Cycle of Middlesex County Ant Species
Ants live in colonies and work together to collect resources for food and shelter. At the heart of every ant colony is a queen ant. The worker ants in the colony find food sources to feed the queen and will only leave the colony once they are fully grown, reproducing ants. Once female ants mate, they will find a new location to start their own colony. The ant life cycle consists of four stages: being inside the egg, hatching into larvae, enveloping into a cocoon, and metamorphosizing into a full-grown female or male ant, explain the local Middlesex exterminators at Viking.
How to Identify Middlesex County Ants
In Middlesex County, you can find over a dozen species of ants, both native and invasive to the land. However, there are certain species that are more common in homes and businesses because that’s where they search for food sources. Here are some of the common species of ants found in buildings in Middlesex County, NJ.
- Carpenter Ants: There are several different species of carpenter ants, but the ones most found in Middlesex County are black carpenter ants. These ants have a fully black body and are quite large, measuring 6 and 13 mm long. Carpenter ants nest in wet or rotting wood, making them a frequent visitor for home and business owners in New Jersey. They can burrow into building materials, but don’t usually cause significant damage.
- Pavement Ants: Pavement ants make a home underneath the ground, generally below concrete or stones. They make their way into homes to find food sources, generally targeting things like sugar, proteins, and grains.
- Pharaoh Ants: Pharaoh ants originated in Africa and prefer warmer climates. They often seek refuge inside New Jersey homes and businesses to stay warm during the winter.
How to Prevent Ant Infestations in Middlesex County Homes and Businesses
Ants infest homes and businesses because they are looking for food sources. If they find a food source, they will completely invade the property and won’t leave until that source is taken away. In order to keep ants out of your home or business, utilize these tips from the pest management professionals at Viking Pest:
- Empty the garbage every night before bed, especially if there is food in the garbage. Keep garbage lids tightly shut so ants aren’t attracted to the food particles.
- Keep pet bowls clean and empty, especially overnight. Never leave food in your pet’s bowl for extended periods of time.
- Clean up food and drink spills promptly, especially if it’s a sugary drink or food. Ants are attracted to sugar, so thoroughly clean any surface that has had sugar on it.
- Fill any holes or cracks in the exterior of your property to prevent entry points for the ants.
- Keep shrubbery and trees trimmed so ants can’t use them as bridges to enter your home or business.