What type of ant is that?

Sam Wood • February 8, 2023

the ants come marching one by one, hoorah, hoorah

There are many species of ants in our area.  I'm going to cover a few of the most common ants we find on a regular basis.  We aren't going to get super technical here, this is for quick reference.  If you see any that are not listed here, reach out to us and we can still help.

Fire Ants

Also known as the imported fire ant, these guys are the most sinister to you and I.  They hang out underground during winter, then in the spring they start springing up, especially after a rain.  They can be viewed on the front page of our site.  Being very territorial, they will fight anything that invades their nest, including other fire ants.  Treat these by applying a granule evenly to the plot of land.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants are the tank of all the ants (with one exception... the red velvet ant, but you won't see many of those).  They move wood.  They inhabit wood and make their nest there.  This can be beneficial in a forested area where fallen branches abound, but in our homes they are not welcome.  The tell tale sign is frass (looks like sawdust) they will leave on window sills or possible on the floor.  Treat by finding the nest, usually in a tree.

Little black ants

We always called them sugar ants.  These are the guys in the kitchen (or one of them).  They nest outside under mulch, stone pavers, rocks, or in bushes.  Occasionally they can get in the walls.  They come in when it rains, or when there is no rain for a long time.  Once they find a food source, the colony quickly comes after it.  Treatment is granules around the house and/or a bait. 

Crazy Ants

Yes, that's a thing.  These ants we have seen in the North Dallas area increasingly over the last couple to three years.  They are out in your garden.  They are out in your flower beds.  They do not have a centralized nest.  Instead of a single file line, they form a highway.  They are very quick to move and they do not fight with any other ant.  They get along with everyone, and displace other ant species as they do it.  Best treatment is quick treatment once identified (within seconds), and a granule in flower beds. 

Now what?

There are dozens of ant species with 20 being native to Texas today.  These four are the ones we see again and again, and most likely what you have is one of these.  If you need help, as always, hit us up.  We are here to help.

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