Ants! They are everywhere. You can find them in your kitchen, bedroom, yard. To cut short, they are present anywhere and everywhere! With over 10,000 ant species in the world, pavement ants are one of the most common ant species that we often encounter in and around our homes.
But, are these ants dangerous? While all ants are a nuisance, some species can cause structural damage, and some species that can spread diseases by contaminating food sources and surfaces.
So, what kind of damage can pavement ants cause? For starters, let’s learn about pavement ants and dig deeper to analyze if they are harmful or just annoying.
Let’s find out!
What Are Pavement Ants?
Pavement ants (Tetramorium caespitum) are named so because they tend to nests in or under the cracks in the sidewalks or pavements. They are about 3 mm long and are dark brown to black in color. These ants also hold the power to infest structures. They are one of the most prevalent ant species found in the U.S.
They prefer to live outdoors on concrete, pavers, sidewalks, etc. That said, like any other pest, pavements ants too are attracted to homes that offer warmth and shelter with enough food and water source. Moreover, Properties with gardens, compost piles, and garbage cans without lids are of great attraction to pavement ants. Pavement ants can invade your homes through the exterior walls and cracks in the foundation of your home.
They aren’t picky eaters and can feast on anything they see, such as sweets, grease, fruits, and dead insects. Once they make their way to a home with enough resources, they are most likely to stay until they are forced out.
Are Pavement Ants Dangerous?
Pavement ants are not dangerous. They do not bite but may sting if the situation calls for it. They are mostly a nuisance as they tend to invade homes in large numbers. That said, their travel pattern and behavior can be a problem as they bring in harmful bacteria along with them. They often crawl around dirty places and climb on kitchen counters, dishes, food prep surfaces, silverware, and stored foods and spread bacteria like salmonella, a nasty bacterium. Salmonella thrives in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals, and the infection leads to food poisoning. Most salmonella infections are classified as stomach flu. The common symptoms of salmonella infection include vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps, fever, chills, diarrhea, headache, and blood dysentery.
Since pavement ants can contaminate your food and lead to serious illness, they should be prevented from creating colonies and eliminated at the earliest.
Wrapping Up
Pavement ants come in large numbers, have multiple nesting areas in hard-to-reach zones, and multiply quickly. To simplify, they are difficult pests to get rid of. So, trying D-I-Y methods on them may deliver no results at all.
Moreover, the first line of defense to controlling and eliminating pavement ants is identifying their nest location, which is impossible without professional help. Save the hassle and call a professional pest control service company for an ant-free home.
