Pavement ants pose no threat to us but they’re still a pain to have around. They can be found all over the United States and will attack your home any time of the year. They are found indoors in the winter and outdoors in the warmer months because they would rather forage for natural food outside when the weather permits. They nest in lawns and under pavement slabs like driveways and sidewalks, foundations of buildings and amongst rocks.

Behavior of Pavement Ants

Pavement ants are reddish-brown in color and will enter our homes in search of food. They are tiny and able to come in through the smallest cracks and cervices; usually around windows and doors as well as openings in foundations. In the cold months, and after food and water supplies have dwindled, worker ants are sent out in search of food. They will eat pet food, live or dead insects and just about anything we eat. Pavement ants are also commonly referred to as sugar ants because they are attracted to sweets. When they find a good source of food to replenish the colonies’ supplies they will return to the nest as they leave scent trails behind. These scent trails will allow other worker ants to help out with building their food supply back up. Inside your home, they will seek after sources of heat, under flooring, inside walls and insulation and in woodwork and masonry. Pavement ants do not bite but will sting and can become aggressive if they are disturbed. The venom can cause an allergic reaction but only to those that are sensitive.

Pavement Ant Prevention

Pavement ants aren’t usually active in the winter but they will build their nests under heated structures which will allow them to stay active. This will force them into your home to look for food and water. The presence of worker ants is the first indication you’re dealing with them, along with piles of excavated material. You might be tempted to grab a can of ant spray when you see a trail of them but this isn’t a good idea because the ants you see are just worker ants. If you kill them, new ones will just take their place. The queen needs to be killed to eliminate the entire colony. The best way to keep pavement ants out of your home is to look for any openings they might use to come into your home and seal them with caulk. We definitely don’t recommend homeowners attempting to use poisoned bait or insecticides themselves. Ant extermination is NOT a do it yourself kind of project as you most likely will only affect the ant foragers. In addition, chemicals can be ineffective and even dangerous in inexperienced hands. It’s best to hire a professional exterminator with the necessary experience, knowledge, and tools!

Pavement Ant Pest Control

When you hire Rentokil for ant extermination, we use special ant control treatments consisting of baits that are formulated so the foraging ants carry it back and infect the whole colony. We will also most often use a special non-repellent insecticide which the ants will also pick up and take back to infect the colony to help with total ant colony elimination. Pavement ant nests are very hard to find when you don’t know what you are looking for. The best way to get an infestation under control is to contact pest control professionals. Contact Rentokil today for all your pest control needs.