What You Need To Know About Ants

What You Need To Know About Ants

The ants go marching one by one hurrah, hurrah. The ants go marching two by two…all over your shoe, your shoe. Living in Lakeland, the heart of central Florida, ants are everywhere. Did you know there several hundred types of ants living in the United States? Controlling and preventing ants from invading your home requires an assertive course of action. A well tested, course of action that Superior Spray Service knows very well.

On The Ant Trail

It all begins with that ominous trail of ants feasting on a morsel of last night’s dinner that somehow dropped onto the floor. Your instincts tell you ‘kill them’. So you waste no time in grabbing a spray bottle and sponge to take care of business. The problem is, you’ve only taken care of the ants you can see. What about the ones lurking behind the stove or the dishwasher? More importantly, is there a queen ant inside your home? Once the queen has nested in your home, killing a few of her worker ants won’t phase the colony or due much to wipe out their population. There is a lot that homeowners don’t know about ants, but we’re here to change that. Read along as we tackle your most common ant questions.

Ants are usually outdoors. Do I really need to worry about ants inside my home?

Like other insects, an ant’s first home is outdoors. Although many choose to forage for food both indoors and outdoors. Upon finding a reliable food source, some ant species will take up permanent residence indoors. Identifying the type of ant in your home or yard is key in knowing how to exterminate them and prevent future infestations.

Why are ants in my home?

Ants aren’t picky. They go where the food is. Therefore, if there are crumbs, spills, or unsealed food packages in your home then ants will likely find a way in. We find that the best way to keep ants out your home is to prevent and deter them from entering in the first place. Superior Spray Service offers indoor ant control as part our annual pest control service. Call us to find out more 863.682.07000

What kind of ants are in my house?

A few of the more common ant species that may choose to reside inside your home are pavement ants, carpenter ants, odorous house ants, crazy ants, thief ants, acrobat ants and pharaoh ants. Of these, crazy and pharaoh ants are the most challenging to control.

Do All Ants Bite or Sting? 

No, not all ants will bite or sting you.

What ant is most likely to sting me?

The most common stinging ant is the red fire ant. Fire ants are usually found in the south and they have really flourished in our home state of Florida. They are dark red and brown, and 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch long. Fire ants build their colonies in outdoor mounds and can enter your home through the tiniest of holes or cracks. They pack a painful sting, especially if they sense their nest is in danger.

Which ants can do the most damage to my home?

Carpenter ants can cause great damage to your home, if untreated. While not as destructive as termites, they do tunnel through damp wood to build their nests. Carpenter ants are found in Lakeland, FL and throughout the United States. Carpenter ants are dark red, solid black or dark brown in color and about 5/8 of an inch long. They are often confused with termites.

Are Ants Harmful To My Health?

Ant infestations are more than just a nuisance. While they don’t pose dire health threats, pavement ants, and odorous house ants can easily cross contaminate your food.


Pavement ants are dark brown to black in color and are ⅛ inch long. They are usually found alongside pavement, sidewalks and under stones.

Odorous house ants
are dark brown to black in color and are 1/16 to ⅛ inch long. As their name foreshadows, when crushed odorous house ants give off a foul odor.

What Ant Is The Most Annoying?

The crazy ant wins this one.You can identify a crazy ant by its long antennae and legs. In fact, they get their name from their fast and erratic running behaviors. They are dark brown to black in color and have a grayish tint. Ranging from 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch in length, crazy ants will usually invade buildings in warmer climates like Florida. They will nest indoors and outdoors but are very hard to treat if they decide to nest inside.

I heard ants are strong. How strong is an ant?

Ants can carry 20x their body weight. If you were as strong as an ant your could lift your car.

How do ants always find their way back to their nest?

Ants leave a pheromone trail as they travel and use it to get back to their home nest.

The Most Common Ant Question We Get:

Do You Kill _______ Ants?

YES! Superior Spray Service will exterminate any and all of your pesky ants because we are “licensed to kill, pests.”

I Still Have Questions About Ants That You Didn’t Answer.


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