Field Ants

What is a field ant?

Field ants are a species of ant that, as their name suggests, prefer to nest outdoors. Adults can be pale yellow, reddish-brown, black, or a combination of colors. They range in size from 1/8th – 3/8th of an inch and have a segmented body that is unevenly rounded on the upper side.

Why do I have them?

Field ants make their nests outside in lawns or fields near sidewalks, fences, rocks, trees, and the foundations of buildings. They arrange the soil into a mound as they remove it from the ground when creating their nesting areas. Field ants mostly feed on honeydew – a substance that is produced by plant-eating insects like aphids; but sometimes they can be found on decks, porches, and inside of homes foraging for food. While you may find field ants in your home looking for their next meal, they rarely if ever nest indoors.

Are they dangerous?

Field ants are fairly passive, but if they are disturbed they have the ability to bite to protect themselves or their nests. Their bite can be quite painful, especially since some species will spray formic acid into the bite area. Field ants can become a big nuisance when nesting in residential areas. Also, if field ants forage for food in your home they can contaminate your food which will result in it needing to be thrown out.

How do I get rid of field ants?

Getting rid of field ants is difficult since they nest outside and will bite to defend themselves. The best way to safely and quickly get rid of a field ant infestation is to contact a pest control professional. At Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control, we offer effective ant control services that will get rid of your field ant problem. If field ants have invaded your property, contact Terminix Wil-Kil today.

Can I do it myself?

Do-it-yourself ant treatments and products are not usually effective, and don’t work to treat the core of the problem, which is finding out how and why the ants are invading your property. Also, pesticides that are used in DIY pest control can be more harmful to people and pets than they are to the actual field ant.

How soon can you get here?

At Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control, our goal is to help you resolve your ant problem in the shortest time possible and in the most cost effective manner possible.  Your Terminix Wil-Kil technician is 100% committed to helping you as soon as possible.

How can I prevent this in the future?

Because field ants nest outdoors it can be tricky to stop them from choosing your property to nest in. There are however some things that you can do around your property to help deter them. Storing firewood away from your home, avoiding mulch or grass from coming into direct contact with the foundation, and keeping trees and shrubs well-trimmed can help. In order to prevent them from accidentally getting into your house you should seal any entry points. Some common entry points include, cracks in the foundation, gaps around windows and doors, holes in screens, and spaces around utility lines and pipes.