If you suspect that you have a pharaoh ant infestation in your home or commercial property, the first step is to identify that you are indeed dealing with pharaoh ants. Other species of ants that are often mistaken for pharaoh include pavement ants and carpenter ants. This mis-identification is the leading reason for ineffective pest control methods. Pharaoh ants are unique for their ‘Budding’ habit which makes traditional ant removal methods ineffective and sometimes worsen the infestation. We also have this article that describes how to get rid of ants in apartment.
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Identifying Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants in Ontario are relatively easy to identify as long as you know what to look out for and learning how to get rid of pharaoh ants is very important for homeowners in Toronto. For one, this species appears translucent, has a darkish abdomen and ranges from light brown to yellow in color. The typical worker ant measures between 1.5 to 2 millimeters while the queen is significantly larger at about 4 millimeters.
Pharaoh ants have an evenly rounded thorax while each antenna has three segmented club. Lastly, the ants have two nodes or segments between the thorax and abdomen.
Risks Posed By Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants do not sting and rarely bite but an infestation is a health risk all the same. These are disease carriers and are believed to carry up to 12 infectious organisms including clostridium, staphylococcus and salmonella. The ants are especially risky in a hospital or healthcare setting.
Pharaoh ants are also notorious for damaging wooden structures especially where there is a large infestation. The ants are also damage foam insulation.
Signs of a Pharaoh Ant Infestation
Detecting an infestation is usually simple but locating the actual nest can prove difficult. The ants prefer building nests in inconspicuous indoor areas such as in between books, in wall voids, under houseplants, behind refrigerators and in clothing.
Spotting one or more of these ants is a sure sign that you have an infestation. The ants are typically spotted on foraging missions as far as 115 away from the actual nest. The ants typically make trails while foraging which other workers follow. In case you have a pharaoh ant infestation, and you are not sure how to get rid of them, contact your local ant exterminator Toronto to help you out.
Getting Rid of Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are notoriously difficult to get rid of and treatment can take a professional exterminator up to a year depending on the severity of the issue. As previously mentioned, pharaoh ants are known for ‘Budding’. This is where a queen (colonies often have more than one queen) leaves the nest with a few workers and forms a new colony in a separate location. The baiting technique is particularly necessary especially if dealing with pharaoh ants in an apartment or condo.
Professional exterminators often use bait where they mix insecticide with the ant’s favorite food. The worker ants proceed to take the toxic food back to the colony to be consumed by the ants. Contact Pest Control Toronto – The Exterminators as soon as you notice an infestation, we offer customized solutions for pharaoh ant control. Both residential and commercial. Call: 647-496-2211
