Getting rid of sugar ants? Are you doing it right? Based on numerous findings, the ant colony has been known to range from small natural burrows (holes) to highly organized colonies that may consist of million individual ants. Their mandibles of course give them the upper hand to pick up food and cause damages.
Brief Facts About Sugar Ants
Ants have grown to be very popular creatures as they can be found in almost every home (well except you’re able to keep them away). I’ll tell you something you probably weren’t aware of: Did You Know that out of the 7 continents in the world sugar ants can be found in 6 of them? Then which of these continents seems inconvenient for these insects? of course, you guessed right, it’s Antarctica!
Well, I can bet 80% of you didn’t know this! then read on to know more about the sugar ants!
We normally get calls and complaints from our subscribers: hello, pestclue I think I’ve got an ant infestation in my home, but I don’t really know what species it is, or is it a termite? I’m not so sure. Pestclue as an organization is set up to assist individuals to identify these pests, know more about them, and help get rid of them.
What do sugar ants look like? where do they live? what are they? what brings these uninvited guests to my home? are all ants sugar ants? these and many more questions are what this info-filled article is set to answer.
We hope to give satisfying answers to our readers and ensure you leave with satisfaction in mind, and peradventure you’re asked: “hey, what is that?” you’ll give a bold answer: Alas! it’s a sugar ant.
Read also: Flying Termites vs Flying Ants Difference
What do I Need to Know About Sugar Ants?
What do sugar ants look like? How can I identify them? Before getting to identify these pests, you should know little about them and have a brief oversight of their behaviors.
The sugar ants appear to be a very great nuisance to the homes they inhabit and gardens as well. They are known to occupy concrete walls, the floor, timber, in fact anywhere there’s sugar spillage and even human dwellings. Outside where humans dwell, they can be found under stones and leaves, due to their inability to dig up deeper nests.
They prefer to live and forage (search) for food in suburban (congested) areas, they like warm and damp climates, and In the wild; they typically dwell in forests and woodlands.
Although they are called sugar ants they will feed on anything called food! especially sweets, and egg yolks (You should not have this substance littered in your home unless you want an infestation of these guys in your home).
These ants pose a series of threats to native wildlife by upsetting delicate food webs. They are especially known to inspire fear due to their aggressive behaviors and the large size of their colonies which can literally team-up with other colonies (cool right?)
- Various categories of sugar ants possess a similarity in the hydrocarbons present on their cuticles.
- Some sugar ants have non-aggressive and grooming behaviors when interacting with each other, compared to when they mix up with ants from other super-colonies. An example of these ants is the argentine ants.
Getting Rid of Sugar Ants With 10 Possible Ways
Did You Know?
- Strength: Sugar ants, just like other ants can lift objects 20 times their body weight. A single of this ant can even lift 10 other ants its own body weight.
Imagine how strong you’ll be if you had such brute strength.
- Hearing Abilities: Even though these ants are a great nuisance, they lack ears. Then how do they listen to avoid danger? well, these ants listen by feeling vibrations in the ground using their feet.
- Level of Destruction: Sugar ants are not so aggressive and won’t come hunting human flesh, but they sure can cause a lot of damage to household properties during their quest for food and a permanent residence.
- Insecticides: Although the use of insecticides is a good way of keeping these guys away from your home, it is not really advisable as insecticides can even increase the reproduction rate of the queen and their population in your home.
Although this doesn’t work in all ants, it will be advisable to know the kind of ant you are dealing with so you do not fall into such a predicament.
- Beneficiaries: Even though most animals including humans are scared of the sugar ants, these ants serve various beneficial purposes to some insects, including the Aphids, Whiteflies, and scales who give out honeydews to this ants in exchange for protection.
This is somewhat weird, but it’s so true!
- Aggressiveness: These ants are so aggressive to the extent that they are feared by other insects and reptiles. Argentine ants can even destroy a beehive! wait are you for real? yeah, I am! (smiles)
- Nativity: These ants are native to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Argentine ants are very interesting creatures and are incredibly fascinating but would you want these pests in your home? well, let’s find out.
With these brief facts, we believe you’ve gathered knowledge of what these guys look like? You obviously want to know more. Well, keep reading to make more discoveries!
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