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Ants
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Pest Management for Ants and Insects
Different species of ants differ in their size classes. Many ant species, such as Pharaoh ants only have one size, while a few, such as Big-headed ants only come in two sizes. An even smaller number, such as carpenter ants and fire ants, come in several different sizes.
Several species of ants are prominent in the Greater Toronto Area including:
An ant infestation in your home or place of business can cause discomfort and health concerns, such as cross-contamination across multiple rooms and spreading foodborne illnesses. Advantage Pest Control offers pest management services to combat infestation by ants, flies, fleas and a variety of other types of wildlife in North York, Scarborough, Toronto, Whitby and surrounding areas. Get in touch if you require pest management solutions today.
Our Services
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Integrated treatments using bait, liquid residual insecticide sprays or dusts plus exclusion and prevention methods.
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Interior and exterior treatments.
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Part of our Home Protection Plan – an annual pest control program that protects you from over 15 of the most common household pests, including carpenter ants, pharaoh ants, and pavement ants.
Carpenter Ant Colonies
A colony typically has one queen who begins the nest under a rock, in a tree hole or a tunnel in a tree. She lays a few eggs, hatching the first workers of the colony. These are the smallest ants of the colony, and are called Minims. Minims are given the task of foraging for food, feeding the queen, and feeding the young she hatches. The queen ant will lay batches of 20 eggs, taking 6 to 12 weeks to reach maturity. During the spring and summer, carpenter ant colonies older than three to six years old may produce winged male and female ants. These flying ants will fly out from the nest to start new colonies, which generally indicates that there is a colony in the area with over 2,000 workers. Carpenter ants will travel great distances to gather food for the queen, with studies in lab conditions noting travel distances up to four miles from the nest. After migrating, carpenter ant workers are wingless, non-reproducing adults. All ants live in large groups or colonies, between hundreds to thousands of workers, several dozens of reproductive males and females, and at least one queen. Mating occurs mid-flight by winged ants during late spring and early summer each year. Shortly after, the males die, and the fertilized queen ant finds a suitable nesting place to lay eggs and begin a new colony. The small, white, oval eggs hatch into larvae. The queen continues feeding until the larvae pupate and adult ants emerge. If warm temperatures exist, the egg-to-adult cycle can be completed in three months. While colonies start small, older colonies may have populations of 2000-3000 ants or more. Carpenter ants thrive outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying or hollow wood. They create tunnels that give the impression of galleries in the wood grain to make passageways for ants to move throughout the nest. Certain parts of a typical home, such as the windows, roof eaves, decks and porches, are more likely to be infested by carpenter ants because these areas are most vulnerable to moisture. Carpenter ants are among the largest ants that invade homes for food and harbourage. They are a widespread pest problem across North America.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh Ants, known as Monomorium pharaonis, are a species that can often be found throughout Toronto and the surrounding regions. These tiny insects are 2mm long, have yellow or light brown, almost transparent bodies, and a distinctive dark abdomen. While originally native to Africa, they have adapted to live virtually anywhere on the planet. In Toronto, they can often be found in residential and commercial buildings, causing potential issues due to their nesting habits. Pharaoh Ants prefer warm, humid conditions and are known to nest in hard-to-reach areas, often within walls, under floors, or inside insulation. Their colonies are extremely large and are unique in that they have multiple queens, facilitating rapid population growth. They are a particular problem in dining and healthcare facilities, given their ability to transmit a wide variety of pathogens and contaminants. As such, if you find a Pharaoh Ant infestation in your Toronto home or business, it's important to address the situation promptly with the help of a pest control professional.
Fire Ants
Fire Ants are a colloquial name for over 200 species under the Solenopsis Genus, and are problematic insect species that have been spotted in Toronto and the surrounding areas. Measuring between 1.6mm to 5mm, fire ants are reddish-brown in colour and are recognized by their aggressive behaviour and the painful bites they deliver. Originally native to South America, they have successfully invaded many parts of the world, including areas of Canada. In Toronto, they can be found in various habitats, including gardens, lawns, parks, and commercial properties. Fire ants prefer warm, sunny conditions and typically build large mound-shaped nests in soil. Their colonies can consist of up to 250,000 workers and multiple queens, which enables a quick increase in their population. Their stings, which cause painful, itchy bumps, can be a serious concern, particularly for those with allergies. If you spot fire ants on your property, consider seeking help from a pest control expert to ensure a swift and complete eradication.
Pavement Ants
Pavement Ants, also known as Tetramorium caespitum, are a common sight in the Greater Toronto Area. While capable of feeding on almost any organic matter, including plants, they prefer fruit, nectar, pet food and oily, greasy foods. Workers outside the hive usually measure around 2.5mm to 3mm, and have a dark brown to black body. Preferring to nest in lawns, near water sources and pavements, they move slowly and methodically to and from food sources, often during the night. They possess the ability to move through plumbing pipes and electrical wire cables, bypassing traditional entryways that may deter most pests. One notable distinction is the grooves running along their heads, In Toronto, they can be found in clusters near building foundations, building mounds along sidewalks or baseboards and are most easily identified by the trails they form when workers harvest food for the colony. While they normally build their nests outside of homes, nests have been sighted inside heating ducts, heating vents and bathrooms. Despite naturally swarming in late spring, fluorescent lights and indoor heating may prompt swarming behaviours at any time of the year, presenting a vector of contamination for pet and human food. If you find Pavement Ants in your home or yard, consider a pest control company to defend your food stores and destroy their nests.
Ant Colony Roles
Queen Ants
The queen is usually the largest individual in the colony. Her first and most important duty is to find a good nesting location. Many species of ants can establish satellite colonies beyond the primary hive. This includes pharaoh ants, black ants, crazy ants and pavement ants. The queen mates only once but continues to produce offspring until she dies.
Male Ants
Across all species of ants, males have the primary role of mating with the queen. Dying within days after mating, they make up a tiny proportion of the hive and serve no other purpose to the colony. Despite their short lifespan, the sperm and genomes they produce can live for years in the right conditions.
Worker/Female Ants
Workers are female ants that cannot reproduce, and represent the majority of the ants inside and outside a colony. Of these, very few venture outside of the colony looking for food. Various estimates suggest the number of ants seen outside of the nest represent only 5 percent of the colony. These are typically the older workers, while younger workers specialize in food regurgitation, food storage, caring for the early stages of development (i.e., larvae) and nest maintenance.
Polymorphic ants divide their workers into three groups, designated by the size of the ant. The smallest ants tend to the young. Medium ants gather food and do light nest maintenance. The largest do heavy housekeeping chores and nest defence. Dimorphic ants divide their workers into two types of workers: small and large. The smallest ants tend to the brood of larvae and the queen, while the larger ants take care of nest maintenance, food, and nest defence. Workers in monomorphic ant colonies are given their tasks by age. They perform all duties in the nest at different phases of their lives.
Ants Residential Services
Interior Services
No one wants to have ants inside their home. In addition to the stress that they inflict on the homeowner, as a wood-boring pest, they can cause serious structural damage to a home. Whether you have a detached, semi-detached, apartment or condominium unit, we have a program that will be suited to you.
Exterior Services
Exterior services are available to protect foundations and other structural elements of your property. There can be multiple carpenter ant nests in gardens, wood piles and backyards.
Ants Commercial Services
Restaurants
Ants can be a tough pest to battle in restaurants. Firstly, because of the food element, it can be very attractive for ants to infest a restaurant. This is unsightly and can create a negative image to potential customers. Secondly, wood-boring insects like carpenter ants can be detrimental to the structure of any building.
Industrial Buildings
Ants can be a frequent visitor in businesses that have shipments or receive packages.
