With as much pest control that we perform in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and all places in between, we run across the Little Black Ant quite a bit. This tiny ant is about 1/16″ of an inch in size and is typically shiny black in color. (I wonder how they got the name “little black ant”? Really creative!) If you look really close, they appear slender in shape with distinct body segments. These ants are many times called “sugar ants” or if in the south, “piss ants”.
As you can see in this video, these guys will appear by the thousands, and as you can imagine, if on your kitchen counter they can make quite a disruption at supper time. Controlling this pest can be easy. Watch how these ants form a very tight pattern when trailing and can easily be followed back to where they enter the home, or even to their nests. Treating these ants directly at the nest will exterminate them very quickly. Treating around entry points and sealing these areas will prevent them from entering the home. The hardest part of following these ants can be their small size. It can sometimes take a trained eye to follow them through mulch and grass.
The Little Black Ant is often found nesting in mulch, under logs, stacked firewood, under stone pavers, sidewalk cracks, etc. On the interior of several Raleigh, NC homes we have found these ants nesting in the soil of potted plants. Again, follow them back to the nest and destroy them. If no nests or entry points can be found, baiting will also work. Applying both sweet and grease-based baits will work depending on the time of the year and their feeding habits. This does increase the time to get full control of the situation. If ant control can not be attained, call in a professional.
Let us know if we can help you with any of your pest control needs in the Raleigh area.
