Pavement Ant Control

Pavement Ant Control

Pavement ants, the small black and sometimes brown pesky creatures that we have all seen at some point, whether at home or at work, are the topic of conversation in this particular blog. These ants are one of the most common ants present in North America, and they can usually be identified by their dark brown to black color. Pavement ants are fairly small, about 1/8 of an inch in size, and tend to live near or under the sidewalks, patios, and driveways where the main colonies could be located. With that being said, they will have no problem coming inside through any cracks and crevices such as the baseboards, to look for food and water to bring back to the nest. While they are officially known as pests, there is one up-side about pavement ants, this being that unlike other types of their species, they are not known to cause damage to the overall structure of your property. 

Pavement ants will generally be found near the baseboards or in areas where moisture and warmth is readily available. Areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, and sometimes furnace rooms, where humidity and warmth is a big factor, are a common area where pavement ants will happily colonize. 

In order to prevent a pavement ant infestation it is important to take away their food source, as such, keeping your property crumb-free is a must. Whether it is leftovers of food or spills, worker ants will be attracted to any source of food present. Another factor to help prevent pavement ants from coming inside is to frequently dispose of garbage and to not leave dirty dishes out for too long. Should the infestation continue, a structural opening may be the root of the issue and a pest control expert in addition to a contractor must work together in order to allow for best results. 

During the fall and winter, pavement ants will not be very active. However once the temperature increases with seasons changing, pavement ant activity will also increase both inside and outside. It is highly recommended, from a pest control perspective, to have a treatment done once a year or once every other year, if pavement ants are a continuous source of nuisance for you and your family. This is dependent on the general area where your property is located, and attached homes in addition to apartments will have a higher chance of pavement ant infestations compared to those living in detached properties. While a number of home remedies are readily available online, the Provincial Pest Control team is highly trained in not only eradicating the ongoing issue, using a combination of spraying applications, but also setting preventative measures using a combination of dusting and bait products, to ensure the worker ants in addition to the colony is destroyed. 

To summarize, pavement ants are not a structurally damaging species. They do not harm us directly by bites or stings either. They can, however, be a great nuisance when you are trying to enjoy those warm summer days with your friends and family! Provincial Pest Control Ottawa is proud to offer a treatment plan unique to your property, designed based on the structure, level of infestation, and prevention levels required. Give us a call today!