The Different Types of Ants in California

May 25, 2022 | Ants

The Different Types of Ants in California

There are around 13,000 ant species in the world that have been bothering households for years. From messing up your garden and house plants to eating at your foot leftovers on kitchen countertops, ants have become a pricking problem in many homes.

What are the different types of ants in California? How do you prevent them? Here, we will discuss the different ant species to help you chalk out a specific pest treatment plan for your home.

Key takeaways

  • There are various types of ants in California that can become a nuisance around homes and commercial spaces.
  • Different ant species, such as Argentine, Carpenter, and Pavement ants, have different characteristics and behaviors that require specific pest treatment plans.
  • Red imported fire ants and Southern fire ants have powerful stings that can be dangerous to humans and animals. Other ants, like Little Black and Harvester ants, can cause damage to crops and wooden structures.

Indetification of California ants

California is home to different types of ants that can become a constant irritation around your homes. Some ants even become dwellers in office spaces, warehouses, and other commercial locations and disrupt business.

Argentine ants

Argentine ants are primarily found in Northern California. They are small and brown in color. These ants do not sting but can bite when provoked. Argentine ants form vast colonies of 300 queens and 1000 worker ants and roam around homes searching for steady water.

The colonies of Argentine ants do not form permanent homes. They move from a place whenever they sense danger. They have become one of the common household ants, crossing over Odorous, Harvester, and Pharaoh ants which were more in number in the past.

Carpenter ants

Carpenter ants are huge in size and have a dark to light brown color. They do not sting but can bite hard and have very destructive capabilities.

These ants are one of California’s most dangerous ant species because they enter homes by making holes in the wood structures. They weaken the structure of your house or office and can make the whole thing collapse by hollowing out the insides. Rotting or damp wood, be it your wooden floors, furniture, or simply leftover firewood, Carpenter ants can drill through them and set up home for a long time.

As soon as you identify these monstrous ants, contact a pest control body before they cause permanent damage.

Pavement ants

Pavements are primarily found in pavements and hence the name. But they use the pavements beside your homes to enter your residence. They are large and can be black or dark brown. They feed on sweet food from your kitchen, and due to their large size, they fight off other ants from your homes to expand their colonies.

Pharaoh ants

Pharaoh ants can be light brown to yellow in color. They are small but can sting people. Their small size makes them non-threatening to humans but identifying their nests is quite hard. These common household ants can be found in pipelines, behind furniture, and more. They feed on sweet food, so make sure not to keep leftovers on the kitchen counter.

Odorous house ants

The odorous house ants are tiny in size, brown in color, and non-stinging in nature. They are one of the most found ants in Southern California. When crushed, they have an odor and can fest on any open food and can contaminate them.

Velvety tree ants

The velvety tree ants mostly reside on trees. They are large in size and have a velvety black color. They feed on honeydew produced by plants, but food shortage can lead them into your homes and make nests. They can bite and can infect existing wounds.

Red imported fire ants

There are many types of red ants in Southern California, but the red imported fire ant has caused much damage across Californian households. They are on ¼ of an inch but have a powerful sting. Their aggressive bite can be bad for humans and animals alike and feels like a fire sting. If many fire ants attack humans or crops in large colonies, it can be pretty fatal.

Southern fire ants

Southern fire ants are one of the dominant types of red ants in Southern California. They are a little smaller than the imported fire ants. These have a painful sting, and the ants are sensitive to vibrations and come out to attack when they feel footsteps. They generally reside under rocks or unmoved objects and primarily affect your gardens.

Thief ants

Thief ants are also known as grease ants because they love all things grease. These ants are small and light brown in color, and their nests are generally very close to available food. The thief ants are especially damaging because they are hosts and carriers of diseases and tapeworms.

Harvester ants

Harvester ants are an essential part of the ecosystem because they help in dispersing seeds of crops and plants. But due to lack of food, they now enter homes and cause a nuisance. They are small in size, have a brownish color, and have very characteristic “beards” on their chins. They have a painful sting that can lead to allergic reactions.

Little black ants

Little Black ants are tiny in size, almost 1/16th of an inch, and are primarily dark brown in color. They can make nests inside your homes or in your garden. Additionally, they can feast on almost any kind of food and even invest the wooden things inside your homes.

Start protecting your home from ants

Though there are different types of ants in California, most of them can be hard to get rid of. You might want to save money by getting rid of them with a DIY process. However, if not done correctly, the ants will come back and rebuild their nests very soon. To avoid all this recurring trouble, get in touch with ant control to evaluate the situation for you.

We will do a deep dive into the level of infestation and make a proper pest control remedy for your homes. Contact us now to request an appointment.

Adam Judnich

Adam Judnich

Owner @ Arrest A Pest

Serving the entire Coachella Valley

Arrest A Pest is your top-rated pest and bug control solution in the Coachella Valley! As a family-owned and operated business, our technicians grew up in the Coachella Valley and have a deep understanding of the pests in our area.

We understand that every pest infestation is an emergency, and we offer quick, safe, and thorough pest solutions and preventions for your home or business. No matter what pests are invading your space, our technicians are armed with state-of-the-art technology designed to rid your home or business of pests and help you stay pest-free long into the future.

Contact us today to schedule your FREE evaluation and let our team send the pests packing!

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