Tarrant County Pest Control

CARPENTER ANTS

Carpenter ants are wood destroying insects and are very destructive.  

I am often asked. What do carpenter ants look like? Not all carpenter ants look alike.  In Texas I have seen carpenter ants that are black, red, black and red, with wings and without wings. Carpenter ants typically eat other insects so they can be a considered beneficial pest when they are in the yard. However, when they move into a home they can do a lot of damage. They like to nest inside the wood doing a lot of damage to the wood inside a wall. And because they only like to eat other insects, you rarely find them inside the home like you would sweet eating ants so they can go unnoticed for years causing a lot of damage. If you think you have ants of any kind call me right away and I will be happy to give you a free inspection.

For more information on carpenter ants see the CARPENTER ANTS page.

ACROBAT ANTS

Acrobat ants are commonly mistaken for carpenter ants

I receive several calls each year from homeowners thinking they have carpenter ants when actually they have acrobat ants. Acrobat ants are red and black just like some carpenter ants but acrobat ants have a heart shaped abdomen. Acrobat ants typically eat grasshoppers, termites, wasps and other small insects so they can be a considered beneficial pest when they are in the yard. However, when they move into a home they can do a lot of damage just like carpenter ants. And that’s another reason acrobat ants are often mistaken for carpenter ants. They like to nest inside the wood doing a lot of damage to the wood inside a wall. And because they only like to eat other insects, you rarely find them inside the home like you would sweet eating ants so they can go unnoticed for years causing a lot of damage. If you think you have ants of any kind call me right away for a free inspection.

FIRE ANTS

Fire ants are real pest in Texas and they inflict a painful sting.

Protect your family and pest from the painful stings of fire ants. If you see fire ants in your home or yard call right away and put an end to fire ants today. Here is a video showing how fire ants get into a house.

ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS

A very common ant in Dallas/Fort Worth area.

The Tapinoma Sessile which is a species of ant that goes by the common name odorous house ant is often seen in kitchens. The odorous house ants are a common household ant due to the vast verity of food they like to eat. Not only do they eat other insects but they will also eat sugary foods, sugar, grease,breadcrumbs and just about anything else we would eat. And that's why they are a very common ant to find in the kitchen.

ARGENTINE ANTS

Argentine ant colonies can be huge!

Argentine ants will set up quarters in the ground, in cracks in concrete walls, in spaces between boards and timbers, even among belongings in human dwellings. They have been extraordinarily successful, in part, because different nests of the introduced Argentine ants seldom attack or compete with each other, unlike most other species of ant. In their introduced range, their genetic makeup is so uniform that individuals from one nest can mingle in a neighboring nest without being attacked. There colonies can be huge. For example a fire ant mound might have a few thousand ants in it compared to an argentine ant colony that could have 300,000 ants. I have seen them take over a home like something out of a horror movie. The real key to controlling argentine ants is to do something about them as soon as possible.

TERMITS OR ANTS?

Both termites and ants can have wings.

How can you tell the difference between termites and ants? There are three things to look at. The antennae, the waist, and the wings.

1. Termits have a straight antennae. Ants have an elbowed antennae.

2. Termites have a broad waist. Ants have a thin waist.

3. Termite wings are the same size. Ant wings are not the same size.

If you think you might have termites or ants call for a free inspection. 817-465-7378