Getting an infestation of the household pests Pharaoh ants is a nightmare that is, unfortunately, all too common, as they are prevalent all over the planet and the most difficult ants to control. This ant species does not nest outdoors except for in the warmest regions, making them the ant scourge of many households. They do not exactly stand apart in the looks department either, which makes them difficult to distinguish from many other ant species. Like most other ants you come across, they are small and range in color from a yellowish, light brown to red. One of the major reasons they are so difficult to control is their prolific breeding habits. They also will nest in areas that are difficult to access and establish colonies throughout an entire building. Needless to say, they are considered one of the worst indoor pests in the country.
Pharaoh ants are a major indoor pest throughout Texas, and were even reported to have infested a seven story medical center, in which they were a particular danger to the burn victims and newborns, as they can transmit over a dozen pathogens. They were seen looking for moisture in the mouths of sleeping infants, as well as from IV bags that were in use at the time. So, these guys will go after any food or moisture source, no matter how out-in-the-open and risky the place might be.
Pharaoh ants build their nests in warm, moist, hard-to-access areas in your home that have nearby sources of food and water, such as inside wall voids. While the colonies tend to be large in size, they can contain anywhere from a few dozen to several thousand and sometimes several hundred thousand ants. The reason for this level of proliferation is the short amount of time needed for eggs to develop into adults, which is around 38 days for workers and 42 days for queens and males meant for mating purposes. Mating between the queens and males happens inside the nest, with no swarming occuring. The sheer number of eggs a queen can hatch in one go also doesn’t help, as she can produce over 400 eggs in batches of 10 to 12. The colonies also often split after growing larger, with numerous daughters branching off with a group of workers to create their own nest. This can obviously result in your entire home being infested with Pharaoh ants fairly quickly.
Have you ever had to deal with an infestation of Pharaoh ants?
