Spring Ant Infestations: What to Expect

Ant infestations tend to be more prevalent during specific seasons, and understanding the seasonal patterns of ant activity can help you prepare and take action before they become a larger problem. 

The Structural Threat: Carpenter Ants

In the Midwest, black carpenter ants are the most significant wood-destroying pests behind termites. They are often mistaken for common ants, but their impact on a home’s value can be severe.

Core Facts

• Identification: These are the giants of the Illinois insect world. Workers range from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in length. They are typically dull black and have a single node between their thorax and abdomen.
• Behavior: Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood for nutrition. They use their powerful mandibles to excavate galleries for their eggs.
• The Frass Indicator: Since they don’t digest the wood, they must discard it. Homeowners should look for “frass,”; which looks like small piles of pencil shavings mixed with dead insect parts.
• Nesting Sites: In our climate, the parent colony is usually located in a dead tree or a woodpile. However, they establish satellite colonies inside homes near moisture sources like leaking gutters or poorly sealed window frames.

Homeowner Solutions

• Eliminate Moisture: Professional control always starts with a moisture audit. Fixing a roof leak or a damp crawlspace is more effective than any spray.
• Vegetation Management: Keep all shrubs and tree limbs at least three feet away from the structure. These act as bridges that allow ants to bypass ground-level treatments.
• Hire a Pro: Professionals often use specialized dusts or foams injected directly into wall voids. This hits the colony where they live rather than just killing the foragers on the kitchen counter.

The Nuisance Invader: Pavement Ants

If you see tiny ants emerging from the cracks in a sidewalk or a basement floor, you are likely dealing with pavement ants. While they don’t threaten the wood of your home, they are incredibly persistent.

Core Facts

• Identification: These ants are much smaller, roughly 1/8 inch long. They are dark brown or black and have two nodes between their body segments.
• Mound Building: They are famous for the small craters of sand and soil they push up through cracks in concrete slabs or driveways during the spring and summer.
• Year-Round Presence: In Illinois, pavement ants can stay active throughout the winter if their nest is located under a heated concrete slab or near a boiler.
• Dietary Habits: They are opportunistic feeders. They will pivot from sweets to proteins depending on the needs of the colony, making them a common sight in pantries and kitchens.

Homeowner Solutions

• Crack Sealing: Using a high-quality silicone caulk to seal expansion joints in a basement or garage can physically block their primary entry points.
• Keep it clean: Clean up spills as soon as they happen so ants have limited food sources inside your home
• Hire a pro: Professionals use different bait than what is sold in big box stores. The foragers take the slow-acting bait back to the queen, which collapses the entire colony.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Patton Pest at (217) 729-2550, email pattonpestcontrolllc@gmail.com or visit pattonpestcontrol.com.