Field ants in Missouri are large, about 3/8 inches, and often confused with carpenter ants. They can be black, brown, tan, reddish, or red and black in color. Sometimes, field ants are called thatching ants because of their habit of constructing a mound of thatch or plant material. They are common around mid-Missouri structures, but are not often found inside. They are soil nesters and may construct mounds in open fields. In lawns, their nests have a low profile, rarely reaching above the top of the grass. They also nest under objects like rocks, landscape timbers and firewood piles. Displaced soil is often evident. Items such as stones, logs, and bricks should be overturned and inspected for colonies underneath. Field ants don’t invade homes very often, but sometimes they infest mid-Missouri houses because they are searching for sweets.
Ants in Mid-Missouri
Remove Pesky Ants From Your Home & Kitchen With Steve’s Pest Control, Mid-Missouri’s Top Pest Exterminator for Over 35 Years
Among pest species, ants are some of the biggest nuisances to mid-Missouri homeowners. They especially mooch off of food in your pantry or kitchen, all the while spreading disease and ruining your groceries. Some species like carpenter ants also destroy wooden structures surrounding and upholding your home or building. You shouldn’t put up with these tiny thieves raiding your mid-Missouri home. Instead, learn how to identify an ant problem and call the one and only Steve’s Pest Control for extermination services.
How to Tell if I Have an Ant Infestation in My Mid-Missouri Home
An obvious sign of ants in your home or business is visibly catching them as they walk to and from your space. However, sometimes they aren’t so easy to catch due to their sneakiness and small size. Some other signs of an ant infestation in central Missouri include:
- Ant mounds made of dirt inside and around the perimeter
- Sawdust trails indicating you have carpenter ants in your mid-Missouri structure
- Pieces of wings laying around corners and window sills (could also be termites)
- Foul smells of rotten food, which could mean you have odorous house ants
Ant identification in the mid-Missouri area
Carpenter ants are a big problem to central Missouri homes
Carpenter ants in mid-Missouri are relatively large. Known mostly by their size and color, these insects are commonly black, however their color can range from black to red or even solid red. They have one segment to their waist and a long abdomen containing lightly-colored dull hairs. Though their name suggests otherwise, they do not eat wood and instead feed on plant juices, as well as other insects. Black carpenter ants do bite and can spray formic acid, but they do not possess the ability to sting their prey. Most carpenter ant species in mid-Missouri establish their first nest in decayed wood and later expand or enlarge this into sound wood. Inside structures, nests are located in wood (preferably softened by fungus rot or water damage), in insulation, or crawl spaces. When living outside of Missouri structures, nests are typically found in rotting fence posts, stumps, old firewood, dead portions of standing trees, and under stones or fallen logs. Swarming carpenter ants can appear inside homes and structures in central Missouri during the fall and spring seasons. Swarming black carpenter ants can easily be mistaken for swarming termites if found inside mid-Missouri homes and structures.
Field ants ruin outdoor property in mid-Missouri
Odorous house ants: the most common ant species found in Missouri homes
What’s that smell? Is there an odor like rotten coconuts or blue cheese lingering in your mid-Missouri home or business? This could mean you have odorous house ants hiding around. They are small workers, around 1/16-inch to 1/8-inch in size and dark brown to black. Odorous house ants are the most common ant species to invade homes in Missouri and the central U.S. These ants can nest in a wide variety of places both indoors and outdoors. They commonly construct shallow nests in soil underneath objects such as stones, patio blocks and debris. Inside, they prefer areas with moisture, such as around hot water pipes and heaters, but will also nest in crevices around sinks and cabinets. These insects start foraging when temperatures are cooled down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can commonly find their trails along foundations, flower beds, sidewalks and driveways. Odorous house ants prefer sweet items to feed on inside and around mid-Missouri homes, but also eat foods with high protein content and grease such as meat and cheese. Outside your home, they will feed on honeydew, which they get from aphids.
Acrobat ants in central Missouri
Acrobat ants are very small; about 5.4 millimeters in length or less! Their name derives from the fact that these flexible little insects can reach their abdomen over the thorax and head. They like to nest in moist areas and often can be found nesting behind siding, near a leaking roof, under rocks and in stumps or wood piles by mid-Missouri homes. These pests also like to nest in damaged areas made by other insects. They like to eat sweets and meat in house kitchens, and when disturbed, they emit an unpleasant odor.
Pavement ants leave trails in mid-Missouri homes
Pavement ants are two and a half to three millimeters long and are light brown to black in color. Their appendages are lighter in color than the rest of their bodies and have parallel lines on their head and thorax. Pavement ants in mid-Missouri feed on a variety of foods, including other insects (dead or alive), plant juices, sugary foods, and foods high in protein. These pests will establish chemical trails from their colony to their food source and often infest kitchens, patios, and other similar areas. They often nest beneath rocks, concrete, and in walls and floors.
Pharaoh ants in Missouri are a disease-spreading species, so watch out!
Despite their larger-than-life name, pharaoh ants are quite small at approximately two millimeters long. They are yellow-bodied with black and red markings on their abdomen. These insects will typically nest in hidden, well-protected areas such as walls, voids, behind baseboards, in insulation and other warm areas inside a mid-Missouri building. They prefer sweet foods but will also eat other insects. Pharaoh ants can spread disease and cause contamination, so it’s important to call pest control right away if you catch them in your home.
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Common causes of an ant infestation in central Missouri
Ants are simple creatures. They want food, water, and shelter like any other pest in mid-Missouri. There are several reasons you could be dealing with an ant problem in your residential or commercial property, such as:
- Too much food left out on counters
- Greasy or moist areas around the house
- Leaky pipes and faucets
- Expired food or open products in your pantry or refrigerator
- Rotten wood surrounding or inside your mid-Missouri structure
How can mid-Missouri homeowners take action & prevent ants in the house?
It is not impossible to prevent ants from invading your home or business. Keeping up with simple house cleaning is already a major step in keeping ants away, though they are crafty insects and could find a way in even after following all these preventative measures. You can prevent ants by:
- Keeping track of food sources such as produce and meats
- Consistently wiping down counters
- Cleaning your sink regularly
- Fixing leaking pipes in your mid-Missouri home
- Taking care of the trash regularly
- Making sure your pets aren’t attracting ants by leaving food or treats around the house
If ants are being stubborn and still bothering your peaceful home or business, Steve’s Pest Control is here to exterminate them for good. We stay up to date with the latest pest control measures, and we can find the root of any pest problem in mid-Missouri. Get an estimate on your ant infestation today.
Steve’s Pest Control Handles Pest Problems in Cities & Towns All Across Mid-Missouri. Find Yours & Contact Us for Ant Control
Our pest exterminators offer service all across the central Missouri area, from Boonville to Wentzville, MO. Don’t see your location listed? Give us a call, and we’ll see if we can help you with your ant problem anyway!
Want to Be Protected From Ants, Termites, Bed Bugs & More? Check Out Steve’s 5 Star Pest Control Programs
5 Star pest control service
To cover the basic pests, Steve’s Pest Control starts out with the 5 Star service. This protects you from general pests like ants, cockroaches, mice, and more. Our 5 Star Program includes:
- 5 general pest services (1 interior, 5 exterior, exterior web and nest removal, exterior rodent baiting).
- Pests are eliminated outside before they enter your building.
- Safer and more effective than continuous interior treatment.
- Easy, hassle-free scheduling – you won’t even need to be home.
- Unlimited retreatment warranty – if a covered pest problem develops at any time, we will promptly perform a re-treat at no additional charge!
5 Star Advantage pest control service
Next, we have the 5 Star Advantage program. This plan comes with the best termite control mid-Missouri has to offer, as well as a $250,000 damage warranty for your home or business! In full, the 5 Star Advantage service includes:
- 5 general pest services (1 interior, 5 exterior, exterior web and nest removal, exterior rodent baiting).
- Pests are eliminated outside before they enter the building.
- Safer and more effective than continuous interior treatment.
- Easy, hassle-free scheduling – you won’t even need to be home.
- Unlimited retreatment warranty – if a covered pest problem develops at any time, we will promptly perform a re-treat at no additional charge!
- Pest and rodent protection.
- Termite protection with Sentricon.
- A $250,000 damage warranty.
5 Star Complete pest control service
Ready to take it up a notch? Steve’s 5 Star Complete pest control service comes with unlimited re-treatment warranties for many pests, and even mosquitoes. All in all, Steve’s 5 Star Complete pest control service offers:
- 5 general pest services (1 interior, 5 exterior, exterior web and nest removal, exterior rodent baiting).
- Pests are eliminated outside before they enter the building.
- Safer and more effective than continuous interior treatment.
- Easy, hassle-free scheduling – you won’t even need to be home.
- Unlimited re-treatment warranty – if a covered pest problem develops at any time, we will promptly perform a re-treat at no additional charge!
- Pest and rodent protection.
- Termite protection with Sentricon.
- $250,000 damage warranty.
- Mosquito reduction with unlimited re-treatment warranty.
Steve’s Lake Services is perfect for summer lake house owners in central Missouri
For our residents and business owners in Lake Ozark and Osage Beach, MO, Steve’s Lake Services specializes in protection from dock spiders, mosquitoes, rats, and of course, ants. Enjoy your time by the lake without worrying about pests in mid-Missouri. Steve’s Lake Services include:
- Initial treatment for the year, including interior treatments.
- Treatments performed on your home’s exterior, including around the house and at the dock if applicable.
- Removal of spider webs and insect nests within reach during each service.
- Pest elimination before they enter the interior of your home, which is safer and more effective than continuous interior treatments.
- Easy, hassle-free scheduling.
- $250,000 Termite Damage Warranty with The Sentricon System, if applicable.
- Unlimited Retreatment Warranty with seven or more consecutive monthly services.
Getting Antsy to Eliminate Your Pest Problem in Mid-Missouri? Contact Steve’s Pest Control & You’ll Be Free of Ants in No Time!
There’s no reason you should deal with ants any longer. The minute you suspect ants are causing chaos in your mid-Missouri home or business, call Steve’s Pest Control for help. We are the area’s top pest control service for a reason, and we will give you the effective treatment you deserve. Schedule an inspection for ants today!
Steve’s Pest Control is a full-service pest control business run by a team of experts who are dedicated to taking care of your pest problems once and for all. We guarantee all of our pest control services with 100% customer satisfaction to ensure you are receiving the best.
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