Ant Pest Control

Southern Illinois is home to  170 species of ants which 56 of them are considered a pest for home owners. The most common Ants found in or around your Southern Illinois home are listed below:

Argentine Ants

Argentine ants are a significant pest in Southern Illinois due to their ability to form large populations. Their colonies thrive in diverse habitats, featuring multiple reproductive queens, and they adapt to a wide range of food sources. These ants can be found in various environments, including soil, rotten wood, standing dead trees, debris piles, and bird nests. Once they infest homes and businesses, eliminating them becomes a formidable challenge.

Odorous House Ants (OHAs)

Odorous house ants (OHAs) are easily identified by the distinct odor resembling rotten coconut when crushed, a method often used by pest management professionals for identification. They typically nest in soil under various objects like rocks, boards, and mulch. Inside homes, they build nests in wall voids, exhibiting a challenging behavior of relocating nests every few weeks. OHAs have colony sizes ranging from hundreds to thousands of ants, with a preference for sweets, explaining their common presence in kitchens and pantries. Additionally, they may nest under floors and in wall voids.

Fire Ants

Fire ants, typically residing in soil, may enter buildings in search of food, moisture, and shelter. They prefer open, sunny outdoor locations like lawns and fields. Red imported fire ants, if uncontrolled, pose a threat to small livestock, with above-ground dirt mounds as evident signs of their colonies. These colonies can comprise 100,000 to almost half a million ants, leading to numerous painful stings and bites when disturbed. For those allergic to the ant’s venom, this can result in severe medical issues.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants typically nest in trees, wooden structures, and poles. When they infest buildings, they threaten both structural integrity and aesthetics. The black carpenter ant, Southern Illinois largest species, is sizable, reaching nearly 1/2 inch. Named for their behavior, they excavate wood to create galleries and chambers for their colony. Unlike termites, carpenter ants only excavate and deposit wood shavings outside their nesting site.

Other common species of ants known to be pests to Southern Illinois homeowners are Asian Needle Ants, Tawny Crazy Ants, Pavement Ants, and Dark Rover Ants.