Ants are frustrating infestations that do not seem that dangerous at first. But their size and massive numbers can soon overwhelm anyone who suffers from such an infestation. Their colonies can contain thousands of workers with a single queen that produces eggs rapidly. These eggs go through any stages from larva to pupa and eventually adult and do so quickly. Pavement ants are the ants you will regularly see on the sidewalk, hence their name. They are the ants that hoard around dropped ice cream and walk around carrying massive objects on their backs. They are a truly fundamental and clear representation of the general ant and are a type of ant that many etymologists will study.
Pavement ants
The pavement has many names, the immigrant ant, the sugar ant and in Latin the Tetramorium immigrants. They are a serious issue when getting into a home and can cause absolute disaster after a very short time. They are an aggressive species with a massive population that is very small and able to get into any crack or crevice they can find. You will see them everywhere, the kitchen where they will infest everything, the bathrooms, bedrooms and basements.
Pavement ant nest
Treating them is very difficult without dealing with the actual nest itself which is something you will not be able to find by searching. The only way to really get rid of them is with concentrated bait. Boric acid bait is effective against a small infestation and is a domestic treatment you can buy just about anywhere. They are often sold in small plastic containers and you can also make your own out of sugar, flour and water. The ants will eat it but also take it back to the queen where the workers will stalk pile it and eat it together with the rest of the workers and the queen. This can be effective for a new or small infestation but be wary. If they are not gone after a month then your treatment has failed and it’s time to call a professional.
Domestic treatment for pavement ants
The difference between a domestic treatment and a commercial treatment is the type and strength of the poisons and pesticides. You can spray permethrin around the areas you see the ants and layout boric acid bait but the strength is so low because of the danger of children getting a hold of it. Commercial treatments are much stronger. The general treatment involves something called a baseboard spray of a powerful pesticide that is also used in treating cockroaches. It is extremely powerful and will be sprayed in all areas of high activity.
Poison for pavement ants
The bait the technician will lay down is much stronger with a much higher content of poison in it. This is not boric acid, this is a real poison that will kill the ants rapidly and is flavoured to attract them in large numbers. So if you have an ant infestation don’t wait and try domestic treatments. Call a professional licensed exterminator and get those ants gone, fast and effectively.