HOW TO TELL IF ANTS AROUND YOUR AIKEN HOME ARE DANGEROUS

Most of the time, ants go unnoticed. You can walk from your car to the door of your home and see dozens of ants without realizing it. You can step through the threshold of your home and not notice an ant crawling up the frame of the door. You can sit on your back porch and not notice ants crawling on the railing. But, sometimes, you do notice them. You stamp on the ground and hundreds of them come to the surface. Or, you may walk into your pantry and find hundreds of them crawling around on your food. That's horrifying! If you're currently experiencing this, you may wonder if those ants are dangerous. The good news is that all ants in Aiken, South Carolina are not generally dangerous. It is only in unique circumstances that they may be a threat. Here are a few things you should know.

When Fire Ants Are Dangerous

Fire ant stings are common. They're so common that you might not think much of them. When fire ants start to sting you on your feet, ankles, or lower legs, you probably brush them off and move away annoyed. But consider those who can't move away. A baby in a carrier, for instance. Babies cry about many things. So it is possible to let a baby cry for a minute before checking to see what might be making him cry. If it is fire ants, this can result in several inflamed wounds. Fire ants can also present a threat to people who are bedridden. If fire ants find their way into a home, they can pose a threat. But, perhaps the most concerning fact about fire ants is that they can be deadly if there is a severe allergic reaction to the venom, and this allergy can develop later in life. You can have an allergic reaction even if you've never had one before. It is best to address fire ant infestations quickly, and decisively.

Identification: A fire ant will be about ⅛ to ⅜ of an inch and be a dark red or dark red with a darker abdomen, depending on the species.

Pharaoh Ants

Almost all ants can get into your trash and then contaminate food stored in your kitchen or pantry, but Pharaoh ants have a particular knack for spreading illness. These ants are attracted to open wounds. If they feed on the wounds of a rodent, or some other animal, they can be a serious disease threat as these ants are known to get into food, get into the wounds of humans, and also enter the mouths of sleeping people.

Identification: A Pharaoh ant will be about 1/16 of an inch and have a yellowish-orange body with a dark abdomen.

Carpenter Ants

Spreading sickness isn't the only way ants can be dangerous. Some ants damage property. This can result in financial hardship. Carpenter ants target damp, rotting wood first, but can also be destructive to sound timbers within a home. If left untreated, carpenter ants can do a tremendous amount of damage and even cause floors to sink, walls to bulge, and ceilings to dip down.

Identification: Carpenter ants are the largest ant pests that get into Aiken homes. Workers are polymorphic and will range in size. The size of these ants will also vary depending on the species. Workers may be anywhere from ½ to ⅝ of an inch long. Winged carpenter ants will be twice the size of workers. You should have no trouble telling whether or not the ants you're seeing are carpenter ants. If you need more to go on, these ants will be entirely black or a mix of dark red and black.

How To Deal With Dangerous Ants

If ants come into your yard and threaten your health or your property, contact Aiken Pest Control. We provide industry-leading pest control solutions for Aiken residents. Reach out to us and tell us about your ant problem. We can help you get control of those ants. We can also help you prevent ant issues all year long by providing your home with a residential pest control plan you can trust. 

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