With Arizona’s beautiful scenery and warm climate comes an increased risk of infestation with the many insects that call the Copper State home. If you have spotted ants in or around the home, the best thing you can do is take action as soon as possible. Here are some of the most common ants found in Arizona households as well as the signs for spotting them.

Acrobat Ants

Acrobat ants are known for lifting their abdomens above their heads when threatened, earning their name. Many acrobat ants give off an unpleasant odor when upset, and they tend to enter the home through openings for electrical wiring and pipes. If your home is infested with this variety of ant, you will likely see trails of the ants as they leave their nests in search of food.

Argentine Ants

Argentine ants are particularly frustrating to homeowners due to their habit of crawling into appliances and cramped spaces. These ants thrive on moisture and often congregate in pipes and dishwashers, but they can also be found in stoves or under piles of debris outdoors.

Citronella Ants or Odorous House Ants

Citronella ants are small and yellow. They are known for the very unpleasant odor they emit when they are crushed, hence their alternate name. Fortunately, these ants do not reproduce inside the home or cause structural damage, but they often require professional treatment since they can appear in large swarms.

Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are extremely small and are a common problem in restaurants and kitchens. These ants nest throughout the home, but they may nest outdoors in warm climates such as Arizona. Pharaoh ants send out small workers for food, but there are usually many more ants living in a nearby nest. Once disturbed, these ants can simply move their colony to another location if not properly eradicated. Because they have multiple queens, pharaoh ants are more difficult to exterminate than other species, which are unable to survive without a queen.

Working with a professional exterminator is the best way to ensure that an ant infestation is eliminated once and for all. Ant colonies must be completely destroyed in their nests to avoid further infestation. Some species are harder to detect and kill than others, and many are capable of thriving indoors as well as outdoors. Without proper precautions, the colony can simply move to another are of the home or move its nest outdoors and continue to thrive.

Do you have ants? If so, call Preventive Pest Control today for help getting rid of them right away.