Ant Control

We eliminate the colony and the source!

Sumter Ant Exterminating

Ants are one of the most common pest-related problems facing homeowners. Every spring, the annual onslaught of ants tends to set off a season-long battle in most residences. The do-it-yourself and home remedies initially seem effective may exacerbate the problem because they do not deal with the source of the problem, the colony itself.

Our treatments at Gamecock Exterminating are effective because we start by identifying the ant, then target its colony and eliminate its source. We provide unparalleled ant control services to our Sumter customers.

We guarantee the following when you work with us:

Possible same-day appointment availability
Guaranteed satisfaction

To learn more or schedule a service, reach out to our Sumter pest control team at (803) 469-7378 today.

Gamecock Exterminating Provides Sumter Residents with Ant Control

Ant control can be difficult, but here are a few things you should know about ants’ behavior that can cause big headaches for you and your home:

Entrance: Ants can enter even through the smallest cracks in the pantry or storeroom, searching for sweet and fatty foods.
Scent Trails: The ant leaves a chemical trail with pheromones that others can follow if they locate the food source.
Nest Locations: You can find nests all around your house, from lawns to walls, to stumps, to under foundations.
Colony Size: Colonies can number up to 300,000 or more, and they can uproot and relocate quickly when they are threatened.
Colony Lifetime: The life expectancy of a colony is relatively high. Workers may live for seven years, and queens may live for 15 years.
Do-it-yourself Effectiveness: Most do-it-yourself ant control methods kill only the ants you see. It may be possible to penetrate nests with certain truly effective treatments, thereby preventing the return of these pests. Additionally, home remedies do not account for the fact that different kinds of ant infestations require different treatments.

What Are Some Of The Problems With Ant Infestations?

When ants create a nest in a house, it can lead to food and water contamination. Homeowners often find that they have to throw away kitchen staples when ants are found in cabinets, sinks, or refrigerators because ants enter homes in search of these resources.

In some cases, ants pose a more serious threat to homeowners and the homes in which they live. For example, fire ants are notorious for their painful stings. A person is exposed to the risk of being stung by dozens of fire ants when an infestation is discovered, and sting allergies can result from this exposure.

In a similar way to termites, Carpenter ants can cause damage to a home. Carpenter ants chew through wood and build nests. A primary difference between termites and carpenter ants is that ants prefer to nest in moist wood.

How Did I Get Ants?

An ant infestation is primarily caused by poor sanitation. Meal-seeking ants go after food sources like dishes left in the sink, food residue on countertops, crumbs on the floor, and trash cans that haven’t been regularly emptied. The entry of a few foragers into a home can become a significant issue if colonies develop in walls, lawns, or under home foundations.

How Serious Are Ants?

One of the biggest problems associated with ants in the home is food contamination. An ant’s body carries bacteria that spreads when it crawls around in a pantry or across a countertop. While only a few species of ants are known to transmit diseases, finding any type of ant in pantry goods or inside the house is an unpleasant experience.

Carpenter and fire ants, for example, can cause additional problems. Carpenter ants chew tunnels through wood beams and can cause costly damage. The envenomation of fire ants can cause pain and more serious symptoms that often result in allergic reactions in those who are hypersensitive to ant stings.

Ant Life Cycle & Reproduction

Ants have four distinct and very different life stages: egg, larvae, pupae, and adults. These stages are known as complete metamorphosis. The life cycle of an ant typically takes several weeks to several months, depending on its species and the environment.

Eggs
When a female ant successfully mates with a male ant, she becomes a queen ant that lays eggs. Fertile queens choose a sheltered place to start their nest (colony) and lay eggs. Eggs of ants are very small – only half a millimeter in diameter. These white, transparent eggs are oval in shape.
Larvae
The legless, grub-like larvae hatch after about 1-2 weeks in the egg stage. In this stage, the larvae have a voracious appetite, and the adult ants spend much of their time feeding them food and liquids that they digest and regurgitate.
Pupae
During the pupal stage, the larva molts and sheds its skin. Although pupae resemble adults, their legs and antennae are folded into their bodies and pressed together. The pupae of ants are typically white at first, but they gradually darken as they mature. In some ant species, pupae are housed in protective cocoons.
Adult
Upon completion of the pupal stage, the adult ant emerges. The adult ant is fully grown at the time of emergence, but its color darkens with age. A colony caste consists of three different types of ants; queens, workers, or males. Queens are fertile females who lay all the eggs in a colony. The workers are females who do not reproduce, but gather food, feed the larvae, and maintain and clean the nest. Workers are wingless, and they are seen collecting food or defending the colony from intruders. Male ants are winged, but their only job is to mate with queens during the swarming process.

When a female ant successfully mates with a male ant, she becomes a queen ant that lays eggs. Fertile queens choose a sheltered place to start their nest (colony) and lay eggs. Eggs of ants are very small – only half a millimeter in diameter. These white, transparent eggs are oval in shape.

The legless, grub-like larvae hatch after about 1-2 weeks in the egg stage. In this stage, the larvae have a voracious appetite, and the adult ants spend much of their time feeding them food and liquids that they digest and regurgitate.

During the pupal stage, the larva molts and sheds its skin. Although pupae resemble adults, their legs and antennae are folded into their bodies and pressed together. The pupae of ants are typically white at first, but they gradually darken as they mature. In some ant species, pupae are housed in protective cocoons.

Upon completion of the pupal stage, the adult ant emerges. The adult ant is fully grown at the time of emergence, but its color darkens with age. A colony caste consists of three different types of ants; queens, workers, or males. Queens are fertile females who lay all the eggs in a colony. The workers are females who do not reproduce, but gather food, feed the larvae, and maintain and clean the nest. Workers are wingless, and they are seen collecting food or defending the colony from intruders. Male ants are winged, but their only job is to mate with queens during the swarming process.

Contact Your Local Exterminating Company Today!

Gamecock Exterminating Company has knowledgeable technicians who have experience in dealing with ant infestations of all types. We offer competitively priced services, and homeowners are welcome to contact us for a free quote.