3 Ants You’re Likely To See In Maricopa County

Odorous house ants

Imagine munching on a snack in your kitchen and spotting tiny, brownish-black ants marching in a determined line towards your crumbs. Congratulations, you've just met odorous house ants.

These little ants earned their name for a reason – squish one, and you may be greeted with an unpleasant smell reminiscent of rotten coconut. Don’t worry, though; they're more of a nuisance than a threat. Odorous house ants typically nest outdoors but will happily infiltrate your home in search of food, especially sugary treats and grease.

Harvester ants

If you've ever encountered harvester ants while exploring Maricopa County's great outdoors, it's likely they were collecting plant matter and seeds to support their colonies in our desert environment.

Harvester ants are big ants with reddish-brown bodies and powerful mandibles. Their nests are unmistakable – large, crater-like mounds dotting the landscape. While they're mostly harmless unless provoked, their sheer numbers can be unsettling to say the least.

Pavement ants

Have you ever noticed small piles of sand appearing along the edges of your driveway or under your patio stones? If so, you may have pavement ants to thank for it. These tiny, dark brown ants tend to make their nests in the cracks and crevices of pavement.

Pavement ants are expert scavengers, always on the lookout for crumbs and other tasty morsels. They may not pose a threat to people or property, but their persistence can be a real headache, especially if they decide to set up camp inside your home.

Ant prevention tips from local pest control pros

So, how do you keep these ants (and other types of ants)from turning up inside your home? Here are a few tips:

Seal all cracks, gaps, and openings that ants could use to sneak indoors. This includes foundation cracks, gaps around doors and windows, and holes on the exterior of the house.

• Keep your home clean to discourage ants from crawling across your counters looking for crumbs, raiding your pantry for tidbits on the floor, or investigating under your appliances for grease buildup and other food.

• Do not leave food out on the countertop and store flour, sugar, cereal, and other staples in airtight containers.

• Trim back plants, shrubs, and other vegetation around your home.

• Fix plumbing and moisture problems.

Professional ant control in Maricopa County

There you have it, folks – a crash course on three common ants of Maricopa County and how to keep them from taking over. If it’s too late and you’ve discovered ants in or around your home already, contact Titan Pest Control for professional ant control in Phoenix and throughout Maricopa County. We also offer year-round home pest control services that are designed to keep ants and other common house-infesting pests out all year long. Give us a call to discuss your pest problem; we’d be happy to help!