Why Do I Have Ants In My Denton, TX Home?

Ants are a common problem for home and business owners on every continent but Antarctica, and we sure haven’t gotten a pass here in Denton. Indeed, multiple species of ants infest Texas homes, including several species that are more than just a nuisance. Below, we’ll talk about a few problem species in our area, as well as what you can do to keep them away from your Denton property. 

Common Problem Ants In Denton

Acrobat Ants

Also known as Saint Valentine ants, these small ants have heart-shaped abdomens and like to cultivate aphids for their honeydew. You might find acrobat ants raising their juice-sucking “livestock” in your garden or landscaping, though they do occasionally invade indoors. Acrobat ants are most easily recognized for their tendency to lift their abdomens over their bodies.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are large black ants that live in wood, tunneling through it to build chambers and passageways. This behavior reduces the structural soundness of the wood, sometimes to the point of collapse. This makes carpenter ants a particular threat to your home. If they nest in your walls, they can do as much damage as any termite colony.

Fire Ants

You’ll see these small, rusty red and brown ants nesting in huge mounds on the ground outside your home. Fire ants earned their moniker due not just to their red color but to their fiery temper. When their mounds are disturbed, fire ants swarm just like hornets – stinging hundreds and even thousands of times in defense of their territory.

Odorous House Ants

As their name suggests, odorous house ants are stinky. These small, segmented ants release a rotten coconut smell when crushed. While considered nothing more than a nuisance, odorous house ants can infest your home, leaving you with a smelly problem.

Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants don’t sting or chew through wood. Their danger lies in the pathogens they spread. When pharaoh ants invade your home, they track all sorts of nasty bacteria with them, including staph, strep, and salmonella. Pharaoh ants love to invade institutions like hospitals and long-term care homes, bringing their diseases with them into these medical facilities.

Ant Prevention Techniques

Whether they’re just a nuisance or they pose an actual threat, ants are never a welcome sight in your home or commercial property. But they’re tiny and attracted to just about every kind of food humans eat. So how do you keep them away? You can do lots of things to prevent ant infestations, and most of them have to do with either reducing attractants or blocking their entry. To reduce ant attractants:

• Store all foods in airtight containers.
• Never leave pet bowls or foods sitting out.
• Cover all indoor and outdoor trash with tight-fitting lids.
• Repair moisture issues like clogged drainage or leaky plumbing.
• Harvest fruits and veggies from any gardens right away.

To block ant entry, inspect your home and repair any of the following:

• Gaps underneath doors or windows.
• Tears or rips in window or door screens.
• Cracks in your home’s foundation.
• Holes in your home’s siding.

If you do wind up with an ant infestation, don’t try to deal with it on your own. Ant colonies are almost always a lot bigger and more complex than they seem, and it’s difficult for over-the-counter (OTC) pest control methods to kill off an entire ant nest. Fortunately, there are other options. Here at Mayco Pest & Termite Control, we have the tools and experience to eradicate an ant infestation no matter the size or variety. So give us a call at (940) 386-6894 or visit our contact page to schedule your appointment today.