Ant Control Toronto
WE DON’T STOP UNTIL THEY ARE GONE
Ant Control Toronto services by The Exterminators. Effective and reliable pest control treatments by licensed exterminators. We provide pest control and extermination services across the Greater Toronto Area. As part of our ant control solutions, we use a combination of techniques to deal with an ant infestation. Baiting, spraying and dusting appropriately will guarantee results for a longer period of time and make sure you are not going to deal with ants again. We back every ant control treatment with a written guarantee and a 6 month warranty.
IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ANTS WE CAN HELP
If an ant infestation is left unchecked it can become extremely bothersome and may cause structural damage. We provide professional and ant extermination services. The Exterminators offer pest control solutions for all ant species including carpenter, pharaoh and pavement ants. Our exterminators and licensed technicians are well trained and have extensive experience in dealing with all types of ant problems. You can contact us to acquire information on how to deal with your pest problem or to schedule a pest control treatment. Our technicians will visit your property and assess the extent of the ant infestation, identify the type of ant, its nest locations and will provide the best pest control treatment for the problem. We know that each ant problem represents a unique situation. The Exterminators provide reliable pest control service to deal with the problems at hand.
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Effective services with a focus on customer needs. Fully licensed and insured pest control company for all pests. We service both residential and commercial customers using top of the line products and tools.
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There are few main types of ants that infest properties in the Toronto area. The carpenter, pharaoh, pavement ants and the occasional Citronella ants.
CARPENTER ANTS
PAVEMENT ANTS
PHARAOH ANTS
CITRONELLA ANTS
ANT EXTERMINATOR TORONTO
CARPENTER ANTS
Carpenter ants are large black ants. They can cause extensive structural damage to your property if their population is left unchecked. Over time carpenter ant damage can be extensive. Carpenter ants do not feed on wood but rather tunnel through it. Consequently, they leave behind particles that resemble sawdust, to create space for their colonies. Carpenter ants mostly feed on insects, plant materials and household foodstuffs. Even though a single colony might not pose serious structural problems to your property over time the problem can grow into a serious carpenter ant infestation. In most cases, these ants create satellite colonies or nests in the same structure. Over time, this can get out of hand. In buildings, they make their nests in moist or humid areas such as between panelled doors, in wood cabinets near dishwashers, in damp locations behind baseboards, and in window frames. If you are starting to see carpenter ants with wings it is time to act. It means that the colony has reached maturity and is expanding.
PAVEMENT ANTS
Pavement ants Pavement ants are small black ants. Pavement and pharaoh ants do not pose as serious of a threat as the carpenter ant but still need to be dealt with. The pavement ant usually enters homes through the cracks that form in the concrete slabs in basements or can be found around patio areas. Pavement ants primarily feed on oils and grease. Pavement ants primarily feed on protein materials and can feed on other insects as well. They are perhaps the most common household ant pest in Toronto, Ontario.
Pavement ant control Toronto. Effective treatments for pavement ants. Exterior and interior treatments that deal with the root cause of the problem. We guarantee our services and back every treatment by a written 6 month warranty. We send ants packing. Call us for a consultation and to book an inspection or pavement ant control:
The Latin name for Pavement Ants is Tetramorium Caespitum and while these ants are native to the European continent, they are also found in the North American region where they thrive as pests. Pavement ants made their way into America through the ships that travelled from Europe to the United States in 16th and 17th centuries. These vessels were filled with soil that acted as ballast and when they reached the ports, this soil unloaded. Thus, this was how these ants conveniently made their way to new territory, earning a name for themselves as pests.
IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH PAVEMENT ANTS WE CAN HELP
The name Pavement Ants is mostly put to use in North America and is derived from the tendency of these ants to build colonies along the pavement. These colonies are inhabited by queen ants, alates, which are drones and new queen ants, and worker ants.Pavement ants are quite the celebrities too, considering that they were sent into space to the International Space Station as part of a study!
These ants are quite aggressive in nature and their colonies are known to attack each other and engage in fierce fights. These fights usually end in death and in some cases, thousands of ants are killed in these battles for territory.
APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS
Pavements ants measure between 2.5 millimeters and 4 millimeters and are dark brown to blackish in color. Parallel furrows on the head and thorax as well as their size distinguish them from other ants. The ants that reproduce also have wings and their size is at least twice that of the regular worker ants. You can tell the difference between male and female easily. Females have easily noticeable spines on their back while males don’t.
In the spring, the reproductive ants begin the process of reproduction by mating high in the air. However, since a sufficiently heated environment is the primary need for these ants to begin work on their colony, certain heated buildings may experience the onset of an ant colony even in the middle of winter.
PAVEMENT ANT COLONY
After the mating ritual is complete, the queen ants burrow into the soil and lay the eggs after which the worker ants begin to emerge, this process usually takes around a couple of months or more. Soon, there is a full-fledged colony on your hands.
The favorite locations for pavement ants to set up their colonies are under the slabs of sidewalks, under building slabs or even under large rocks. You can trace Pavement ant nests by following their trail. The nest location will usually have heaps of excavated sand or soil particles. At times, the size of these heaps as well as their distribution will give you affair idea of the expanse of the colony.
PAVEMENT ANTS AS PESTS
Pavements Ants usually stick to the outdoors and feed on nectar, fruits, seeds, dead insects and grease. However, in the absence of food outside, these ants may enter the household too. Foraging ants are often seen loitering around the house and if they find a food source, you will soon see a long trail of pavement ants. Primarily though, Pavement Ants stick to the outdoors, especially when it comes to their colonies. Effective service and reliable solutions.
PHARAOH ANTS
Pharaoh ants are yellowish small ants. The pharaoh ants can be difficult to eradicate since they make their nests in highly inaccessible locations usually near warm moist areas. Dealing with pharaoh ants can lead to a serious infestation because these ants are known to break off the main nest and create satellite colonies in the same structure. It is best to leave a treatment to a professional as the wrong treatment will make the problem worse. Pharaoh ant colonies have multiple queens and worker ants can be as many as 300,000 strong.
Pharaoh Ant Control Toronto. Effective treatments for pharaoh ant problems. We guarantee every extermination and provide a 6 month warranty for pharaoh ant treatments. Call us for a consultation and to book an inspection or an ant control Totonto treatment: The Latin name for Pharaoh Ants is Monomorium Pharaonis and these ants are one of the most common species found in households across North America and make it to the list of highly unpopular pests for their potential to interfere with our daily lives. They are particularly known to infest hospitals and other facilities that offer healthcare. Apart from the North American regions, these ants are also found in Europe, Australasia and Southeast Asia.
Apart from the production of repellent pheromones, pharaoh ants are also different from most other ant species when it comes to their colonies. While the colonies of most other ant species have a single queen, the colonies of pharaoh ants have several queens, and therefore, their workings are a little complex in comparison to other ants. In spite of the presence of several colonies with a single nest, all the pharaoh ants work in unison with each other without clashes.
PHARAOH ANT COLONIES
This unique design of colonies also allows pharaoh ants to leave the main colony and set up ‘bud colonies’ with the entire set of a colony moving out. In some cases, even the individual ants living in these colonies are exchanged with others from other colonies. The nesting system of pharaoh ants is therefore quite complex.
APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS
Pharaoh ants measure around 2 millimeters in length and their color varies from light yellow to hues of dark brown. Their abdomen is usually darker than the rest of their body. They possess compound eyes but have extremely poor eyesight and communicate and interact mainly through the use of pheromones. There are three types of pheromones that pharaoh ants resort to.
The first helps them in marking the trails that their fellow ants can follow, and this chemical usually lasts for several days even when these ants are no more using the particular trail. The second type of pheromone is used to mark food etc. and this chemical usually lasts only for a few minutes.
The third pheromone is what makes Pharaoh Ants different from most other ants. This species of ants were among the first that were discovered as those that were capable of producing a repellent pheromone. This repellent pheromone is put to use to serve as warning signs in case of the closure of a particular food route, or any sign of danger, etc.
PHARAOH ANTS AS PESTS
Pharaoh ants are quite a nuisance as pests, and their unique system of budding colonies allow them to multiply and occupy larger areas with greater ease than other ant colonies. In hospitals, pharaoh ants are known to cause quite a lot of havoc, with their small size allowing them easier access to open wounds, medical instruments and other facilities, thereby assisting in the spread of infection.
In households and offices too, pharaoh ants are serious pests, feeding on almost everything they find from greasy and sugary foods to the carcasses of dead insects.
Pest control too is a difficult proposition in the case of these ants, as their ability to consolidate into smaller colonies allow them to multiply into larger ones later. Therefore, when it comes to Pharaoh Ants Control Toronto, extermination and control need to be properly planned, preferably by professional exterminators. For effective ant control solutions call The Exterminators Inc.
CITRONELLA ANTS
Citronella ants are larger yellow ants. The Citronella Ant, the Latin name for which is Lasius Interjectus. The strong lemony scent they give out when they are crushed is the reason for their name. Citronella ants also emit this smell when threatened. Yellow in color, these ants are also commonly referred to as Yellow Ants, although they can be light yellow, a darker yellow or even light brown in color. Their diet mainly consists of the honeydew that is produced by subterranean aphids as well as mealybugs.
Citronella Ant Control Toronto. The Citronella Ant, the Latin name for which is Lasius Interjectus, are named thus as they give out a strong lemony odor when crushed. They also emit this smell when threatened. Yellow in color, these ants are also commonly referred to as Yellow Ants, although they can be light yellow, a darker yellow or even light brown in color. We offer fully guaranteed ant control Toronto services.
The worker ants of this species are approximately 4 to 4.5 millimeters in length while the queen ant is double the size of the worker ants at 8 millimeters. There is also a smaller species that are found along with this species all across North America.
The good thing about citronella ants is that they do cause any destruction on the property front nor do they attack the food that humans are interested in. These ants are therefore only considered a nuisance species and simply interfere with our routine by hovering about the property. However, there are times when large colonies may exist nearby, due to which huge populations of these ants are seen moving around on your property. This is when professional extermination may be required.
APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS
Citronella ants are actually named Large Yellow Ants. The tag of citronella has been attached to them due to the strong citrus odor they emit from their bodies. This smell gets stronger when the ants are threatened and is at the strongest when the insects are crushed.
The large citronella ants measure between 4 and 4.5 millimeters and the queen ants measure double that size. The queen ants and their male counterparts are known as swarming ants and while the rest of the worker population are mostly subterranean and stick to their territory below the surface, the winged swarming ants, also known as swarmers, tend to invade our spaces.
If these ants have built their colonies beneath buildings and homes, the winged reproductive ants swarm into the space above, entering through cracks in the slabs or ducts. This is when they cause a major nuisance, and it is indeed disconcerting to see hundreds of winged ants take over your space.
FEEDING HABITS
Citronella ants are never found foraging inside homes or office spaces because their diet doesn’t include any of the items found here. So while you may see other ants going after the sugar or spilled drinks or just about anything else they might find, citronella ants stay underground – in the literal sense – and feed on a strict diet.
Their diet mainly consists of the honeydew that is produced by subterranean aphids as well as mealybugs. These are the only things citronella ants feed on, which means that they are not interested in the food we consume at all.
COLONIES
Citronella ants build their colonies within the soil and therefore subterranean. The soil or mulch under stones, building slabs and logs are their favorite locations to set up a colony.
CITRONELLA ANT EXTERMINATION
Since Citronella Ants are subterranean, the need to exterminate them rarely arises, unless there is some excavation going on and you come across a large ant colony. The other instance where urgent extermination may be required is when the swarming ants invade your home or office space. In such cases, calling on the services of a professional citronella ant extermination service is highly recommended. Call The Exterminators for comprehensive pest control Toronto solutions:
Carpenter Ant Control Toronto
WE DON’T STOP UNTIL THEY ARE GONE
Carpenter ant control Toronto. Ants are persistent pests, and part of what makes them such a problem is how fast they can proliferate. At first, a new queen will only lay 5 to 15 eggs twice a year. However, as the colony grows, her rate of production will increase. As time goes on, she can easily produce larger and larger batches of colony workers. By the time you know it, you could have hundreds of ants swarming your home.
Despite your best efforts, you might find it difficult to get rid of carpenter ants. Fortunately, our trained technicians can provide you with comprehensive solutions. We do not stop until every last ant is gone. We go beyond treating your home. Our technicians work to locate the nest and eliminate the entire carpenter ant colony.
The only way to stop a colony of ants in their tracks is to ensure that we obliterate the nest, particularly the queen. The queen’s primary job is to lay eggs to ensure the colony’s growth. Our ant control Toronto solutions eliminate the colony, including the queen, ensure that you no longer have to deal with carpenter ants invading your home or business.
CARPENTER ANT IDENTIFICATION
Ants of any kind are a nuisance in Toronto, but carpenter ants seem particularly pesky because of the damages they can create to wood structures and objects. It is important that you are able to identify the carpenter ant. You can identify the carpenter ant by the following characteristics:
- Coloration:The carpenter ant is most commonly black. However, they can also have a reddish, or even a yellowish color to them. In fact, their color range may include dark black, black and red, red, dark brown, light black, yellow, yellowish-tan, light brown, and orange.
- Physical features:The carpenter ant has large mandibles they use to chew through wood. They also have a rounded thorax. You may also notice that they have bent, beaded antennae. The carpenter ant is also one of the largest ants of between 3.4 and 13 mm in length.
Proper identification of the carpenter ant can help you understand which ant is currently giving your problems. Keep in mind that there are other ways you can identify this species of ant aside from physical characteristics. For instance, you can look for piles of sawdust aside holes in wood structures. As they dig through wood, they deposit the wood outside the openings to their tunnels.
Contrary to popular belief, carpenter ants do not eat wood. Instead, they dig through it so they can create a network of tunnels. Therefore, you may notice grooves in wooden objects, openings to what are likely the entrances to their nest, and the sawdust piles you will often find just outside their tunnels.
The carpenter ant is often mistaken for a termite, but it is important to realize that termites eat wood. Therefore, you will not find piles of sawdust. Also, termites will create mud tubes leading to their nest rather than holes in wooden objects.
ARE CARPENTER ANTS A CONCERN?
Aside from being a nuisance, an infestation of carpenter ants can create concerns for home and business owners. Since they dig through wood and create several tunnels, they can weaken structures or objects from the inside out. If left unchecked and allowed to proliferate, carpenter ants can create significant structural damages. They can also create unappealing cosmetic damages.
It is best to contact a professional as soon as you suspect an infestation of carpenter ants. Our qualified technicians can provide you with carpenter ant control to ensure your home or business remains free of ants. One way to determine if you have a rather large infestation on your hands is to use your ears. When dealing with a large infestation, you may hear a quiet rustling behind your walls, which is the sound of them chewing through wood.
HIRING A PROFESSIONAL IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN THE DIY APPROACH
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Why us?
IF ANTS RETURN WITHIN THE CONTRACTUAL PERIOD SO WILL WE.
If pests return following service and within the guarantee and warranty period we will return at no additional cost. We work hard on keeping our customers pest free. We guarantee every service and provide extensive warranties to make sure pests are gone and our customers are happy. Call The Exterminators for Ant Control Toronto solutions.
PROFESSIONAL ANT EXTERMINATORS
Dealing with ant infestations is not an easy task and in most cases should be left to a professional. Finding and treating an ant nest can pose a serious challenge to most home owners. Our exterminators have ample experience and are able to locate nests and perform the best treatment possible. Either by placing insecticide ant bait (liquid ant bait or solid ant bait) at the correct locations around your property or by an insecticide spray and dust applications. In only a few instances will there be need to drill holes to better access the ant nest and apply pesticides.In tough situations we will use Ultra Light Volume Mist insecticide applications to kill a nest deep inside wooden surfaces. We are a fully licensed pest control company providing solutions to the even most complicated pest control problems. If you have a persistent ant problem and require information or ant extermination services please contact us, call The Exterminators for effective ant control Toronto: 647-496-2211.
HIRE A FULLY LICENSED ANT CONTROL TORONTO COMPANY
Hire The Exterminators we provide the best solution for every ant control problem. Over the counter solid or liquid ant bait solutions do not work. The kill rate is much lower than the growth rate of the colony. Boric acid or other over the counter insecticides can work but you will need very large quantities and proper professional placement. Consequently, you will be spending a fortune on insecticides and a lot of time dealing with the infestation. We offer professional and guaranteed pest control service in the Greater Toronto area.
This is a large scale carpenter ant treatment performed after drywall and insulation was removed. While ant activity was ongoing for years, the scale of the damage became apparent only after drywall was removed. The treatment was performed using ultra light volume insecticide mist, a water based insecticide spray and dust. We destroyed the ant colony using the mist and we barricaded the structure using the residual insecticides. Our treatment stopped all ant activity and eliminated the carpenter ant infestation. We were dealing with several carpenter ant colonies and in the end all worker ants and carpenter ant queens were gone.
How Serious is an Ant Infestation?
Ants may seem more of a nuisance than an actual problem. They are so small that many people wrongly assume that they are insignificant and can’t cause much harm. Aside from the fact that they are annoying and hard to get rid of, what possible harm could they do? The truth is, even the smallest of ants can cause big problems.
For starters, carpenter ants and pavement ants can cause structural damages. Carpenter ants love to build their nests within a wooden structure. Although they prefer soft, rotting wood, such as what you would find inside a rotting tree stump or tree trunk, they will invade your home, too.
They will quickly get to work chewing through wooden structures to build a place they can call home. As the colony grows, the damages they create can also grow. A large colony of carpenter ants can wreak havoc on the structural integrity of your home. If you listen carefully enough, you may even hear a faint rustling sound, which might be the sound of them chewing through wood behind your walls.
Pavement ants prefer pavement, or concrete. They can create damages to your sidewalks, foundation, and driveway. Like the carpenter ant, a large colony of pavement ants can quickly create concerning damages. Make sure you address an invasion of ants as soon as possible rather than waiting to see if they might cause problems for you.
Keep in mind that there are also ants that will bite or sting you. They will use their powerful mandibles to bite, which may cause pain and irritation. Ants that sting can cause pain and irritation, too. Fire ants, for instance, can leave a burning, stinging feeling behind that causes significant discomfort.
Rather than dealing with a potential problem, hire a professional to eradicate ants from your home or business. We can send our highly skilled professionals to deal with the problem. They will locate the nest and take care of it for you. They ensure that no member of the colony survives so you do not have to worry about re-infestation. For the ants to go away you need to hire a professional ant exterminator.
Call us today to book an appointment. Our Skilled Technicians can deal with your ant problem.
Fight Ant Infestations: Real Results from Our Case Studies
What Do Carpenter Ants Eat?
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Case Study: Carpenter Ants Build Nest in Wychwood Attic
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Case Study: Interior Carpenter Ant Extermination in East York
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Case Study: Carpenter Ant Colony in Roof in The Beaches
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Case Study: Severe Carpenter Ant Problem in North York
The following article details a carpenter ant extermination in North York. Carpenter ants were found in the kitchen, basement, and perimeter of a single-family home,
What Attracts Ants?
Like any living creature, ants need food, water, and shelter. Although ants will typically stick to building outdoor nests, they may create satellite nests within your home. If necessary, they will build their main nest within your home, too. They usually build the nest behind walls, under floors, or in some other safe, unseen area.
While they may not need your home as a source of shelter, ants will seek out your home to find food and water. Usually, living among humans provides ants with plenty of food and water. Having ants in your home does not mean you live in filth, either. In fact, even the cleanest of homes can have an ant problem.
The smallest of stray crumbs that fall to the floor can serve as a meal to an ant. Also, moisture will attract ants. If you have pet food bowls, leaks in your bathroom or kitchen, or moisture left in your sinks and tubs, it will attract ants. Make sure you develop a strict regimen to help make your home less attractive.
Wipe your countertops and stove religiously to remove stray food residue. Also make sure you sweep and vacuum to remove any stray crumbs. Wipe up the inside of your sinks and tubs as soon as you are done using them to remove excess moisture. Fix leak in your kitchen and bathroom. Place all food in tightly sealed containers, too.
Search your home for places that might give ants entry into your home. For instance, look for the smallest of cracks and crevices. Fill any openings you find with caulk. Also, make sure you tightly seal your doors and windows so ants cannot get in. If you notice gaps or cracks around your door and windows, you may need caulk and weather stripping.
Do Not Just Spray Away
It might be tempting to spray the first ant you see. Ultimately, you want to see ants dead and gone from your home. The feeling is perfectly understandable. Although it might seem hard to do, the best course of action is not to spray live ants you see in or around your home. Sprays only work to kill ants that you see immediately. However, there are still several more ants waiting back at the nest.
The live ants back at the nest will simply send more ants to your home in search of food and water. The goal is to keep ants you see alive. A professional will use those live ants to track down the location of the nest. Afterward, one of our professionals may use bait, which can eliminate an entire colony.
When using a bait, you may notice a significant increase in ant activity. The very sight may seem like something out of a nightmare, but it is best to wait patiently. The ants will swarm the bait and take it directly back to their nest. They will feed it to the queen, which will kill her and the remaining members of the colony.
Make sure you do not trust baits and sprays you find in stores. Although some of them might work to kill a few different species of ants, they often do not work well. Also, if you cannot properly identify the species of ant in your home, you may end up using the wrong spray or bait. Rather than wasting money on an ineffective method, make sure you call us for help.
We can provide you with professional ant control services to eliminate an invasion of ants in your home. Our trained exterminators will offer their wisdom and professional approach to make sure you do not have to live with ants disturbing you daily. Even after we eliminate the nest, we continue to make sure ants do not return. The goal is to get them out and keep them out. For best results call us and have a professional ant exterminator take care of the problem for you.
F.A.Q.
Are carpenter ants a concern?
Aside from being a nuisance, an infestation of carpenter ants can create concerns for home and business owners. Since they dig through wood and create several tunnels, they can weaken structures or objects from the inside out. If left unchecked and allowed to proliferate, carpenter ants can create significant structural damages.
Is professional ant control better than the DIY approaches?
You may often find several DIY suggestions for ant control. Unfortunately, most of the DIY suggestions you find are not effective enough. Many home and business owners struggle to eliminate an ant infestation when they take the DIY route. You should also make sure you keep your space clean and clear of crumbs and other traces of foods. So, the best way to handle an ant infestation is to contact a qualified professional. Call The Exterminators to find out more about how our technicians can provide you with carpenter ant control solutions: 647-496-2211.
What attracts ants to your home?
Like any living creature, ants need food, water, and shelter. Although ants will typically stick to building outdoor nests, they may create satellite nests within your home. If necessary, they will build their main nest within your home, too. They usually build the nest behind walls, under floors, or in some other safe, unseen area. Having ants in your home does not mean you live in filth, either. In fact, even the cleanest of homes can have an ant problem. Make sure you develop a strict regimen to make your home less attractive to ants. Sweep and vacuum to remove any stray crumbs. Wipe up the inside of your sinks and tubs as soon as you are done using them to remove excess moisture.
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