Anytime ants (any kind!) invade your Kingwood property and home, they easily become nuisances and wear out their welcome. The problem is, they can be difficult to get rid of once they’ve established themselves. Knowing what type of ants you’re dealing with will help you quite a bit in managing them.
Acrobat Ants (Crematogaster)
Acrobat ants are so called because of the way they famously raise their hind ends up above their heads, which they do when they are suddenly disturbed. They are aggressive ants, and they do sting if tampered with. They also give off a foul odor as a defense. They are found around the United States.
In the fall especially, you will see several of them swarming around with their wings. If you have several of them flying around your home, chances are you’ve got an infestation on your hands, because they don’t usually nest indoors. They may have located some damp or rotting wood inside your home, and that’s what’s attracting them.
Acrobat ants are tiny compared to other ant species (only about 1/5″), light brown to black in color, and when viewed from overhead, their hind ends have a distinct “heart” shape to them.
Outdoors these ants like to nest in decaying, damp wood. If they come indoors, they’ve probably done so via cracks or crevices they’ve found on the outside of your home, and they will find indoor woodwork to hide and nest in, as well as head for your kitchen pantry for food.
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How do I get rid of Acrobat ants?
Here are some tips to help you keep those pests under control.
- Mow your lawn regularly. Trim trees and shrubbery so that they are at least 1 to 2 inches away from the side of your home.
- Caulk exterior cracks and crevices in your home’s foundation, and screen off (or stuff with steel wool) openings around pipes and utility lines.
- Inspect attic vents and repair damaged screens.
- Move firewood piles (and mulch) away from the side of your house. Remove dead tree stumps and dead limbs from off your property.
- Keep food in tightly sealed containers indoors, keep your sink free of dirty dishes, and keep trash covered.
Consistently doing the steps above will help keep Acrobat ants (as well as other species of ants and other pests) away from your house. Acrobat ants prefer the outdoors, but if they can, they will come into your home for shelter, food, and water. Keep an eye out for them and do what you can to keep them outdoors. No matter what you do, sometimes infestations still happen. You can save yourself all sorts of money, time, and stress by calling our Kingwood, TX pest control experts today! Keep those pesky ants in check!
