Life Cycle of Fire Ants
How do I get rid of Ghost Ants?
It takes time and patience to control ghost ants. This type of ant is best left to the professionals because there are so many possible nesting locations.
Ghost ants and other similar pests are no problem for On Demand Pros. Your specialist will come up with a custom ant treatment plan because no two buildings or homes are the same.
Ant control is not a one-time procedure, but rather an ongoing effort. Assessment, treatment, and maintenance are part of On Demand’s solution. You can count on On Demand for the right ant control solution for your home or business.
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Understanding Ghost Ants
Appearance
Known as the “ghost ant,” Tapinomamelanocephalum is so named because of its small size and the pale coloration of its legs and abdomen. The heads and thoraxes of these ants are dark. The workers measure between 1.3 and 1.5 mm in length.
The odorous house ant is related to ghost ants. Ghost ants, like odorous house ants, emit a coconut-like scent when crushed.
Geography
In Florida’s south and central regions, ghost ants, a tropical ant, have been around for several years. Containers such as boxes, crates, potted plants, and even household goods can easily transport these pests. It has been documented that these ants can only survive in heated buildings and greenhouses in the northern states.
Diet
Insects feeding on plants produce honeydew, which these ants eat. Aphids are frequently tended to collect honeydew. Insects are also collected by the colony’s workers. Ghost ants prefer sweets when they’re indoors.
Habitat
Outdoors, the ground is occupied by ghost ants, who build their nests. Stones, logs, and firewood piles are common places for them to set up shop. They make their way into the buildings by following a trail they make. By following utility lines or the limbs of trees and shrubs that touch the house, they can also get into homes.
In flowerpots, behind baseboards, and within wall voids, ghost ants commonly build their nests indoors. A number of nests could form as the colony grows. The presence of ghost ants in the vicinity of multiple nests is not unusual.
Bites
As long as their nest isn’t threatened, ghost ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum) won’t sting or bite. Ghost ant bites are rarely painful and humans rarely show signs of a reaction to the attack. With its ability to build nests both inside and outside of homes, the ghost ant can quickly become a serious household pest. A sweets lover, this ant also eats fatty foods, insects, and nectar from flowers. The spread of disease organisms may be the most significant impact of this ant because it is frequently found in the kitchen and bathroom of the home.
Reproduction
Eggs laid by queens produce the rest of the colony’s members, who then undergo a complete metamorphosis into their new bodies. Budding is a common way for new colonies to form. In budding, a queen and a group of workers break away from the main colony and establish a new one. Depending on the number of queens, this could happen multiple times.
Tips for Prevention
The first step in avoiding ghost ant issues is to conduct a thorough inspection:
- Look for potential nesting sites for ghost ants on the exterior of your home.
- Relocate firewood piles from the house.
- The best way to keep ants (and other insects) away from your foundation is to remove mulch and create a “dry zone.”
- Make sure the doors to your home’s exterior properly close.
- If there is any missing weather stripping, it should be replaced.
- Small squares of plastic screen are commonly inserted into weep holes in brick houses to prevent ants from entering.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It’s possible for ghost ants to get into a home through small cracks in foundations and around doors and windows, and they’re also sometimes brought inside by infected houseplants. Sugar, cereal, and syrup are common food sources for them once they’ve made it inside. Ghost ants are a common sighting on sinks and countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. Nests can be found both indoors and outdoors, in places like wall voids and between kitchen cabinet doors.
There are usually several nesting locations for ghost ants, because new queens leave the original nests and start new colonies of their own. Many places, such as potted plants and bookshelves, are frequented by these pests. Because ghost ants can be a serious problem in greenhouses, you should always check plants before buying them to make sure they haven’t been infested. You should also look closely because ghost ants are so small that they are difficult to spot.
Since there are so many different nests, finding and removing ghost ant colonies is difficult. Pests are drawn to food scraps and spills of all kinds, and they contaminate whatever they come into contact with. While ghost ants don’t carry venom or bite, their large numbers inside can be a nuisance and a potential threat to property.
Infestation is usually signaled by sightings of small ghost worker ants.
On Demand does NOT charge for inspections. Our objective is to provide each customer with a personalized strategy. We know where to look for certain types of bugs, and we will perform a full inspection to find them. Additionally, we will also check for any other type of pest that may have made their way into your home. Each strategy takes into account the specifics of the property, issue, and the surrounding area. You may request an inspection by contacting (954) 947-0805.
