Bixby is known for its ant infestations. They exist in enormous numbers both inside and outside of homes. And you’d be surprised to know that all of these ants have something different in them owing to the difference in species. Many people seem to think that all ants require similar treatment, but it’s not.
The ant problem seems to grow mostly during the summer and spring months but remember, ants are present year-round even though you might not spot them so easily. Certain ant species seek shelter, especially during winter, and that’s when they come inside your home. They form colonies inside walls while some of the worker ants spread out in search of water and food.
One of the best ways to prevent such an infestation from happening in the first place is to ensure that you have sealed all the entry points in your house. But it’s not always possible for a person to identify these entry points. That’s where the benefit of a professional pest control service lies. At Thrive Pest Control, we train our experts to find the typical entry points of pests and do a thorough inspection of your house to find the root of the problem.
The first step to dealing with an ant infestation is understanding what type of ants have invaded your home. The correct identification increases the effectiveness of the treatment because then you can use the most suitable approach for this particular species. In Oklahoma, ant infestations are so common that almost every other person has faced it. But do you know how to identify these ants? If not, then this article will provide you with some general information about the common ants found in Bixby, Oklahoma.
Odorous House Ants
These are probably the most commonly spotted ants in Bixby. As their name suggests, they give out a foul smell, which is one of these creatures’ characteristic features. They mostly come out to seek sweets, and they are very small in shape. They are brownish, and even though they don’t pose a serious threat to humans, they can still cause a lot of nuisance. Since they are attracted to sweet things, they can easily contaminate your food if left in the open. The rotten smell that these ants give off comes out when they are crushed. You will usually spot these ants near your yard, in driveways, and sidewalks. These ants also love to form their nests in damp places. So, look for them near any water source like leaky pipes. Another very distinct feature of these ants is that you will spot them going back and forth from their food source to their nesting area.
Pavement Ants
As you can probably understand from their name, these ants are found near your pavement. Their size is somewhat around a quarter of an inch and not bigger than that. Their body color is darker than their appendages, and the color ranges from black to brown. These ants are not so ferocious, but if you disturb them too much, they can sting. Their nesting spaces usually consist of insulations, floors, and mulch. They are primarily attracted to sugary foods, but they can eat just about anything. That is why restaurants usually face a huge problem with these ants. Once the infestation sets in, it can be pretty challenging to manage it. So, seek professional help as soon as you can.
In many ways, wasps are a lot like flying spiders. Black wasp, yellowjacket, and hornet stings are extremely painful. And, these insects are capable of stinging multiple times. Additionally, buzzing wasps are big and scary.
Carpenter Ants
These ants can be seen in a wide variety of sizes and colors. Some of the typical colors include brown, red, and black. Within a single colony of carpenter ants, there can be as many as 50,000 individual ants and 20,000 individual workers. These ants love to form tunnels inside any wooden construction, and thus, they have a destructive nature. They can be anywhere between half an inch to one inch in size, and so, they can be spotted very easily. The worker ants have powerful and large mandibles.
Pharaoh Ants
These ants have a characteristic appearance because they have black markings or strips on an otherwise red body. They are extremely small, somewhat around one-eighth of an inch. Their size enables them to come inside your homes through the tiniest of cracks and spaces. The worst thing about these ants is that they carry diseases like salmonellae and dysentery.
If you spot signs of an ant infestation in Bixby, contact us at Thrive Pest Control today and get a customized plan to get rid of the pests.
