What Do Pharaoh Ants Look Like?
Pharaoh ants are small, approx. 1/16 of an inch, golden yellow to reddish yellow ants that have a darker colored abdomen. They are also known as ‘sugar ants’.
Where Do Pharaoh Ants Nest?
Inside, pharaoh ant nests can be anywhere and have been found in places such as:
- Behind baseboards
- Inside wall, floor and ceiling voids
- Inside furniture
- In the insulation of refrigerators, freezers and other appliances
- Inside curtain rods and books
- In the folds of sheets and other linens that are stored.
- Just about anywhere inside that is warm and undisturbed!
When making nests outdoors their choices can be as varied as they are for indoors. They can be found nesting underground, in debris, in hollowed-out trees and logs or even underneath rocks. They are only looking for an area that is undisturbed and offers them protection. What property owners ought to know about pharaoh ants.
What Do Pharaoh Ants Eat?
Pharaoh ants eat all types of foods, but they seem to prefer sweet, greasy and fatty foods such as:
- Jelly
- Honey
- Sugar
- Cakes
- Sweet breads
- Doughnuts
- Insects, both living and dead
- Shoe polish
- Sponges
- Honeydew from aphids
Are Pharaoh Ants Dangerous?
Pharaoh ants are considered dangerous, but not because of their sting or their bite, mostly because of their ability to contaminate their environment with pathogenic bacteria. These teeny ants creep and crawl in and around all different types of environments, and they have the ability to bring the worst of these environments along with them when they come into contact with us and our food, our homes and our businesses.
How Does Innovative Pest Control Eliminate Pharaoh Ants?
At Innovative Pest Control, we understand the habits and life cycles of pharaoh ants and just what needs to be done to completely eliminate them once and for all. Pharaoh ants have a unique ability to ‘bud’ off from their main nest and make satellite elsewhere when they feel threatened. This habit makes eliminating them difficult for the novice and people attempting DIY pest control. Just like throwing water onto a grease fire, if you inappropriately approach or attack an established pharaoh ant nest, the ants will spread out and make nests elsewhere, making your issue much worse than it was to begin with.
The best way to avoid issues with pharaoh ants in your home or business is to keep them out in the first place with professional year-round pest control from the experts here at Innovative Pest Control. With our specially designed Advantage Total Treatment plan we can keep pharaoh ants and over 18 other common Eastern Texas pests out of your home or business. Contact us today!
