| Little Black Ants |
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The little black ant, not surprisingly, is a very small, black ant. This ant is closely related to the Pharaoh ant and looks just like it except for its black coloration. Feeding Habits The natural food of little black ants is the honeydew produced by homopterous insects (e.g., aphids, mealybugs, and scales) and sweet secretions produced by plants. Indoors, little black ants feed on sweets, meats, grease, bread, oils, cornmeal and fruit juices. Key Inspection Tips Within its range, the little black ant is common in wooded areas and can be a frequent invader of homes and other buildings. Outdoors: A Little Black Ant colony is often found in the soil under items, such as rocks, logs or debris. It will also build nests in open areas of soil in lawns and in landscape mulch. The nests in the ground are characterized by small craters of very fine soil. Colonies have been found under the bark of trees, in debris trapped in the crotches of trees, in wood damaged by termites, in firewood piles and within stacks of bricks and stones. When inspecting for foraging little black ants, grass, vegetation and/or mulch should be pulled away from the foundation of the building and along driveways and sidewalks. Any item in contact with the soil such as logs, stones, etc. could harbor a colony. Sprinkler heads also may be a site to find a small colony. Little black ant colonies are most often associated with dead wood or piles of items like bricks and stones. Trails for workers often originate up tree trunks from some dead limb or tree hole. In such cases, accessing the colony may be difficult. Inside: A Little Black Ant infestation or individual trails can be found in wall voids, cabinet voids, under the edge of carpets, and in the voids of masonry, such as brick or stone veneer on the outside of the structure. When ants are found living indoors, an attempt should be made to follow the foraging workers back to the site where the colony is located. If the ants are entering and exiting from under the wall, they may be originating from outside along the foundation or from tree branches touching the building. Contributing Conditions As many cracks in the exterior walls as possible need to be sealed. Items under which little black ants could nest should be removed. Firewood should be stored off the ground and as far from the structure as possible. Tree and shrub branches should be trimmed away from the building. Dead tree limbs should be removed. Please call Vanish Pest Control to arrange for one of our Bay Area pest control experts to come help you exterminate your ant problems |
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