Ant control in Vancouver

Ants have exoskeletons surrounding their elongated bodies and narrow waists. They also have elbowed antennae, three pairs of legs, and a prominent head endowed with a strong jaw used to forage, construct, and defend. Ants come in various shades of black, brown and red.

On average, ants can grow up to an inch long, though are commonly observed to be less than half that length. Ants are social insects and live in small to significantly large colonies containing one or several queens.

The queens and male ants have wings, whereas worker female ants do not. Common ant species encountered in the locality are pavement ants, carpenter ants and Pharaoh ants.

Ants may enter a residence in search of new areas to construct a nest or to forage for food. Ants are omnivorous with a diet that generally consists of insects, sugary products, and other food types consumed by humans.

They enter a residence through small cracks and crevices with openings leading from the outside, as well as larger entry points such as gaps along windows and doors. Their small size allows them to easily move across spaces between and within residences.

Ants form small to large colonies that may become hazardous depending on their location. Some ants construct their nests inside wooden structures such as walls and floors. As they continue to break down wood to expand the size of their nest, these structures begin to weaken and may collapse. Ants are also known to nest under pavements, under or in close proximity to structural foundations, in the soil or trees.

Their large population size and constant construction of nests may result in costly damages to property.

Ants are generally considered a low health risk. However, it is not impossible for them to spread contamination by picking up pathogens as they travel from place to place. Fire ants are found in the Vancouver area and can deliver painful venomous stings.

Typical symptoms include pain, redness and swelling. Though rarely fatal, their sting may cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Small groups of foraging ants are typical indicators of a nearby nest. They can be found indoors within a building’s structure including the walls, floors or foundation. Alternatively, they may have constructed a nest outdoors in close proximity to the building, such as beneath the ground or inside trees.

Subsurface ant activity located outdoors are commonly identified by ant hills, or soils pushed up as a result of their underground construction.

Ants are primarily a nuisance pest that construct and expand their nests, both indoors and outdoors. Their indoor nesting activities might weaken a building’s structural integrity resulting in an unsafe living or working environment.

With an increase in ant population and the longer a nest is occupied, damages caused by ants could become very costly to fix or replace. An ant infestation may become a health hazard with increased risk for venomous stings and contamination.