FACTS ABOUT ANTS AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Ants infestation is frustrating when they get into your home or having a picnic, and ants also help the environment ecological wise. Ants are also tagged as social insects, which means they live in large groups called the colony. Ant colonies usually consist of millions of ants, Depending on the kind of species.

There are three major types of ants in a colony: the queen, the males, and the female workers. The queen and the males are the ones with wings, while the female workers don't have wings. Moreover, The Queen is the only ant that lays eggs. The Male ants are responsible for mating with the future Queen Ants, and they do not live very long afterward. Once the queen finally becomes an adult, she tends to spend the rest of her life laying eggs. The colony usually has one queen or many queens, which also depends on the type of species.

The Ant colonies also have soldier ants that always protect The Queen, defend the territory, gather or kill food, and attack enemy colonies searching for new territory and food. in battles against the rival colony, the victorious colony takes away eggs of the conquered ant colony. When the eggs eventually hatch, the new ants become the "slave" ants for the colony. Some colony jobs include taking care of the eggs and babies, gathering food for the colony, and building the anthills or mounds.

Red Imported Fire Ants

Red imported fire ants (RIFA) are the aggressive species of ants with a painful sting. These type ants and their telltale mound nests should be avoided. Red imported fire ants usually adapt to different environmental climates conditions. For instance, if the colony senses increased water levels in their nests, they will come together and form a huge ball or raft that can float on the water!

Pave Ants

These ants got their name because they make their nests in or under the pavement. They are usually found in the eastern half of the American continent Pavement ant colonies average 3,000 to 4,000 members and have several queens.

Odorous House Ants

This ant gets its name from the firm, rotten coconut-like smells it gives off when crushed, and they usually nest proximately within houses. This specie of ants is also very social, living in colonies of up to 100,000.

Carpenter Ants

The Carpenter ants derived their name because they usually build their nests in wood and feed on woods. This pest can cause critical damage to your house and properties. A single, fertilized queen establishes each colony. The queen usually starts her nest in a hollow point in the wood, where she raises her first set of workers. The queen often feeds her offspring saliva; she does not feed herself and does not leave the nest during this period. When her offspring become an adult, they serve as the worker's whose job is to gather food supply for the next generation. The colony population multiplies in a short period. A colony eventually produce 2,000 or more workers.

However, comparing e ant to other kinds of insect, the Ant is also known to maintain stealth. This scenario of an ant infestation is quite common. A typical ant takes less than a month to breed its colony. Fumigation warehouse recommends the practice IPM protocols for effective and efficient ants

managements. Here are some DIY tips for preventing ant infestation.

PREVENTIONS:

·   Remove Standing Water; Pests, such as ants, mosquitoes, and termites, are attracted to moisture, which also serves as a water source for the whole colony (especially ants). 

· Trim Tree Branches and Other Plants; Sometimes, pests use these branches to get into your home, and they usually nest in the trees or other plants. So regularly cut back trees from the house to avoid further infestation

· Seal All Cracks/Crevices; Make sure that all the cracks are properly sealed and there are no cracks or little openings around the wall the base of the wall of your house. Pests usually use these to gain entry into your home.

· Make sure/ that firewood and building materials are not stored next to your home. Pests like to build nests in stacks of wood especially carpenter ants