The return of summertime brings with it a slew of potential pest threats to your home. While some pests, such as termites, can cause major destruction, others act as more of a nuisance. Though these pests cannot harm your home, they can still cause a great deal of inconvenience and frustration if allowed to roam unchecked.
One such pests that is often active during this time is the sugar ant. These small pests can quickly establish large infestations that are difficult to identify and eradicate.
So what are sugar ants? And why should homeowners be concerned about them?
The name “sugar ant” can be misleading due to the belief that it refers to any ant that consumes sugary substances. This is a misconception, however, as this term most accurately describes a particular species known as the banded sugar ant.
The banded sugar ant is a small, invasive pest. As adults, they grow to between 5-15mm in length. Sugar ants can come in a variety of colors depending on a variety of environmental factor such as moisture, temperature, and food availability, but they can be best identified by their distinctive, dark “band” located near the back of their body.
While many ant species will consume sugary, glucose based foods, the banded sugar ant has a particular preference for them. In the wild, these pests survive by “farming” aphids and consuming their secretions, and they will often clash with other ant species to steal workers, food, and other resources.
When sugar ants come inside or around your home, however, it is a different story. Sugar ants are often attracted to homes and outdoor eating areas seeking after stray food scraps and stains. Such food sources can easily sustain a large colony, and these scavenger pests will quickly spread into any area with an available food source.
Sugar ants can cause problems for homeowners in a variety of ways. They will often seek out any unsealed food in and around the home, and this can contaminate any food that they interact with. These ants can carry many different types of bacteria on the feet. Beyond this, sugar ants can attract other predatory pest species such as spiders, wasps, and scorpions into your home.
Keeping your home free of sugar ants typically involves a combination of eliminating conducive conditions as well as an application of treatment product. To best determine how to protect your home, you should call in a licensed pest control service to inspect your home and identify any potential pest threats your home may be facing.
At Volunteer Rid A Pest LLC, we offer a wide range of treatment options designed to safely target pest populations and remove them quickly, effectively, and completely! So if you are a Chattanooga Area homeowner dealing with sugar ants, or any other troublesome pest, call us today at 423-698-7205!
