Types of Ants Putting Ocean City New Jersey Homes At Risk
July is known for a lot of things including Independence Day, the extreme heat, and for being the most active time of year for ants! Ocean City, New Jersey is Ocean City home to a variety of ants, some which you may have never even heard of. The species of ants commonly found in Ocean City, New Jersey are acrobat ants, carpenter ants, citronella ant, odorous house ants, pavement ant, and pharaoh ants. Though these ants are all distinctly different from one another, they do have one thing in common: they are nuisance pests and pose certain health risks to Ocean City homeowners.
Acrobat ants are named for their ability to hold their entire abdomen up high over the rest of their body, which they do when they are disturbed, as well as emit an unpleasant odor. These ants are usually yellowish-brown to black in color and have a unique heart-shaped abdomen. Adult acrobat ants grow to about 1/8th-3/8th of an inch long.
Carpenter ants are probably the species of ants that Ocean City homeowners dread the most due to their destructive habits. When they enter your Ocean City home, they will tunnel through the wooden structure in order to create nests inside the wood. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat the wood, but the damages they cause can be just as extensive as termite damage and just as costly to repair. These ants are usually black and are easily distinguishable from other species of ants due to their large size.
The citronella ant received its name due to the lemon-like odor they give off when threatened. When these ants are crushed, this odor becomes stronger and more unpleasant. These ants vary in color: the males are black, while both the females the workers are a golden yellow color. The workers are relatively small, about 1/4 of an inch long, while the others grow up to 3/8th of an inch.
When odorous house ants are crushed, they emit a foul odor that is often described as smelling like rotten coconut. These ants are smaller species of ant and range in color from dark brown to black.
Pavement ants are those ants that we often see scurrying around on our paved driveways or on cement and are common household-invading pests. They are a brownish-black color and their entire bodies are covered in grooved parallel lines.
Lastly, we have the pharaoh ant; these ants are small and a pale yellow or red color with black abdomens. Though these ants are known to invade Ocean City households, they are particularly problematic for hospitals as they have been known to invade patients’ IVs.
All of these ants have the ability to contaminate food and spread diseases to Ocean City homeowners and their families. While traveling through garbage, sewers, and other unsanitary places, they pick up harmful bacterias that they then deposit while crawling around inside our Ocean City homes; these bacteria have been known to cause diseases like E. coli and Salmonella. In addition, some individuals may even be allergic to certain ants.
No matter what species of ant has invaded your Ocean City home, it is important to eliminate the infestation before the situation gets too out of hand. If you are experiencing problems with ants in your Ocean City home, the best solution is to hire a professional like Superior Pest Solutions to help you deal with the problem. Our professionals will use their experience and knowledge to identify the type of ant and come up with a personalized plan specific to your needs and the type of ant being dealt with. If you are ready to enjoy July and all that it has to offer without the presence of nuisance and potentially dangerous ants, contact Superior Pest Solutions today!