Ants
Ant Control Southern Maine
Contact Us For a FREE Quote
Whatever the problem entails, Green Shield Pest Solutions in Saco is able to cover all ant control issues. Fortunately, due to Maine’s colder winter climate, you will mostly see only these three types of ants in Southern Maine.
Carpenter Ant
Named after: Human carpenters work with wood, and so do these guys.
Identification: ¼” – ¾.” The most common color is black, but they are sometimes brown and black, red and black, and light brown.
Seasonality: You’ll see a boom in the spring due to mature colonies producing swarmers (winged reproductive ants), but these are an all-season pest.
Why are they in/near your home: Since they specialize in wood, they are often found in neighborhoods with a lot of trees, especially if tree limbs hang over or are near the home. They also love stumps and firewood. Mold is particularly appealing but they will excavate through dry wood as well, most likely through cracks in doors and windows or where wires enter the home.
Tips for homeowners: Keep firewood and any other dead wood away from your foundation. Trim tree limbs away from home. Make sure there is no excess moisture resulting from roofing or plumbing leaks.
How Green Shield can help: Often, the nests inside your home are satellite colonies. Tracking down and treating as many of these satellite colonies as possible as well as finding the parent colony is important (which could be in a tree, a stump, or stacked wood outside). If treated early, structural damage will be minimized.
Weird fact: They can lift up to seven times their bodyweight… with their teeth.
Odorous House Ant
Named after: If you crush it, it gives off a strong, rotten coconut smell. Some call these “sugar ants.”
Identification: 1/16″ – 1/8″ dark brown or black
Seasonality: Spring, summer, and fall.
Why they are in/near your home: They typically come inside in search of food. They can come through cracks in doors and windows but are small enough to find cracks and crevices in the foundation as well. They are typically in wall voids, hanging around cupboards and pantries. On the exterior they like lush soil and will hang around mulch.
Tips for homeowners: Keep mulch less than two inches thick and 12 inches from foundation. Trim landscaping so that it does not touch the home. Seal cracks in the foundation if possible.
How Green Shield can help: They are difficult to control on your own due to establishing multiple colonies with thousands of workers and multiple queens. The colonies should be treated directly, but if they cannot be found, multiple treatments by a professional like Green Shield using baits is effective.
Weird fact: They are extremely social and colonies can number up to 100,000 ants!
Pavement Ant
Named after: They like to nest near or underneath harder surfaces like driveways, patios, sidewalks, and slabs.
Identification: About 1/8″ and light brown to black.
Seasonality: All seasons.
Why are they in/near your home: They will hang around the foundation of a home, beside of underneath slabs, driveways, walkways, and garages. Typically these are the ants that dig up the dirt between your driveway and garage. They can also climb up to 30 feet up masonry walls all the way to the attic or other unoccupied spaces.
How Green Shield can help: These can often be easy to spot near a driveway or walkway, but perimeter treatment and inspection is often necessary by a professional like Green Shield due to their ability to climb up masonry walls.
Tips for you: Seal cracks and crevices in foundation. Avoid using stones next to the home’s foundation.
Weird fact: They will eat practically anything, including meat, bread, nuts, cheese, grease, honey, and seeds.