The tiny invaders known as little black ants are a common problem throughout Bucks County. They crop up in kitchens in residences and offices, and it is not unusual to see them in industrial and urban areas. In fact, little black ants may be found anywhere that food and water are available.
Members of the species do not come indoors only to find a meal. It is possible that a colony may build a nest in a house. When the population is successful, the nest quickly becomes overgrown, necessitating additional nests with additional queens.
When one or more little black ant nests are located somewhere inside or adjacent to a home or other structure, then the building’s human occupants are bound to experience headaches. Finding those nests can be incredibly difficult. In the meantime, the kitchen and pantry are overrun with worker ants foraging for food.
When little black ant infestations are underway, people are at risk for food poisoning. Moreover, it is tiresome to have to constantly clean kitchen surfaces in an effort to keep them hygienic. Accordingly, it is smart to enlist the help of a pest management professional who can destroy the little black ant colony and help the homeowner establish practices that will make future infestations less likely.
WHAT DO LITTLE BLACK ANTS LOOK LIKE?
The common name “little black ants” is apt for this species. Most full-grown workers only reach about one-sixteenth of an inch, and they are jet black. The colony’s queen may be identified by her size, which typically is three to four times the size of the workers.
Other identifying characteristics of the species include their two-segmented waists, their unevenly rounded profiles and their missing spines on the thorax. The antennae are particularly complex as they consist of a dozen segments, terminating in a three-segmented club.
WHERE DO LITTLE BLACK ANTS LIVE?
Colonies of little black ants are most likely to be found in wooded areas, which provide the perfect conditions for nesting and finding food and water. Nests may be hidden beneath a rock or within a rotting log or hollow tree.
When a colony establishes a nest near man-made structures, it may use a pile of bricks, lumber or stones. Indoor nests may be discovered behind stone or brick veneer or within a wall void. Exterminators have found little black ant nests beneath a carpet, especially when close to a doorway, or within woodwork or masonry. If the building’s exterior has cracks or holes, these may provide the beginnings of a perfect nest.
WHAT DO LITTLE BLACK ANTS EAT?
The omnivorous little black ant can eat almost anything. Sweet foods are their favorites, particularly the honeydew that insects such as aphids, scales and mealybugs produce. Other common dietary items include cornmeal, sweet secretions from a variety of plants, fruit, vegetables and insects.
Little black ants frequently forage in kitchens and pantries, looking for sweet foods and protein. Bread and other baked goods, desserts, syrup, jam, peanut butter and pet food all are vulnerable to foraging worker ants.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY LITTLE BLACK ANTS
Little black ants typically are not recognized as wood-destroying insects, but they may deserve this classification because of their habit of targeting damaged or rotting wood when seeking a nesting site. As they work to expand the nest, the condition of the wood worsens. If a nest is located in a deck, fence, siding or the wooden frame of a building, the damage may become severe.
It also is worth considering that worker ants from the colony will search far and wide to locate food and water. This may mean going into people’s homes as well as exploring sewers, drains, garbage cans and animal carcasses. Accordingly, disinfecting efforts are a constant concern in infested homes.
DO LITTLE BLACK ANTS CARRY DISEASE?
Little black ants only spread illness via the bacteria and other toxins that they may transport from one place to another. As an example, a worker ant may go through the home’s outdoor trashcan on its way to the kitchen. Any contaminants that are picked up in the trashcan then maybe spread to surfaces in the kitchen where food is prepared. Additionally, contaminants may be left on food preparation equipment and in the food itself.
Bacteria such as Salmonella and Staphylococcus are among the most common that are spread by little black ants. People who inadvertently ingest these bacteria are likely to develop the symptoms of food poisoning.
ARE LITTLE BLACK ANTS AGGRESSIVE?
The little black ant can defend itself with its stinger. However, this defense mechanism is far more likely to be utilized on another insect than on a person. Instead, people may be liable to describe this species as aggressive based on their numbers and their relentless pursuit of known sources of food and water.
This is because workers create a scent trail wherever they discover food. This trail leads the ant’s colony mates to the food so that they can exploit it too. Accordingly, it is not unusual to see a long line of hundreds of ants marching back and forth between the food and the nest.
Until the scent trail is destroyed and the access point is sealed up, the infestation will be an ongoing problem.
HOW TO DETECT LITTLE BLACK ANTS
Signs of an ant infestation include:
• Ants are discovered in the kitchen or pantry • A gap or hole in the home’s exterior is swarmed by ants • Stored food shows signs of infestation • Ants are discovered in the bathroom
HOW TO PREVENT LITTLE BLACK ANTS
To help protect against ant issues the following steps should be taken:
• Regularly hose down garbage cans • Seal cracks in the building with silicone caulk • Get rid of plants that are known to draw mealybugs and aphids • Throw away all decaying wood • Store lumber and woodpiles at least 20 feet away from buildings • Prevent foliage from touching buildings • Keep gutters and downspouts clear • Aim sprinklers so that foundations and exterior walls do not get wet • Paint or stain wooden furniture, decks and fences • Opt to store food in glass or metal containers with tight lids
HOW WE TREAT FOR ANTS
Ants are the number one pest control issue and can prove virtually impossible for home and business owners to solve on their own. Ending an ant infestation typically requires proper ant identification, locating and destroying the nest or colony, as well as the use and application of specialized products.
As such, it is not advisable for property owners to attempt to eradicate an ant infestation without assistance from a professional pest control provider.
