The pharaoh ant is a tiny, yellowish to light brown, nearly transparent ant that’s become a major indoor pest all over the world. Pharaoh ants feed on proteins, fats and sweets and fats; when choosing the best bait for pharaoh ants, consider using protein, sugar and grease based baits. Every morning, the colony will send out scouts to search for food. When a scout finds it, it will return to the nest, and several other ants will follow the scout back to the food. Soon after, a large group of ants will descend on the food. This is why bait for pharaoh ants is most effective; you can poison the entire colony in a very short amount of time.
Reproduction
Pharaoh Ants have a short life-span; worker ans only live for 10 weeks or less, and the queen may live as long as 40 weeks. The ants will grow from egg to adulthood in 45 days. If you keep baiting the colony, it should be completely eradicated within a few weeks.
Where Pharaoh Ants Nest
Tiny Pharaoh ants can nest nearly anywhere, but they like warm places. They keep their nests well hidden, and they can search for food quite far from the nest. They’ll mark their trails with pheromones. Indoors they can nest inside the walls, inside of electrical outlets, under your appliances, and under the carpet. If you disturb the colony, or if the colony grows too large, they could move.
- Inside they are usually found in the kitchen and bathrooms, but workers are also commonly seen trailing along window sills and baseboards. They are seen traveling along plumbing or electrical wires, going from room to room.
- Look inside inside curtain rods, behind walls and baseboards and under the cabinets.
- You may see their trails, but their nest may not be nearby. You’ll rarely find their real nest.
- You may see them near water sources like sinks, toilets, and drains. They’ll also be on your countertops.
- Pharaoh Ants can also build a colony outdoors, then come inside in search of food.
- You can find them outside if there is a good source of water, such as a sprinkler system. They may also nest under an evaporative cooler, where the water drips.
Getting Rid of Pharoah Ants
Baiting is the best way to kill the entire colony. Choose both sugar-based and protein/grease-based ant baits. Using sprays or dust can cause the ant colony to divide up into smaller colonies. This will simply multiply the number of Pharaoh ant colonies, and consequently, increase the ant problem.
Pharoah Ants can be persistent, suddenly popping up all over the place. When you place the baits, consider that the ants will change their locations. Also, when choosing your ant bait, get slow-acting bait. Fast-kill baits will only kill the foraging worker ants; if they die too quickly, the worker ants won’t take the bait home to the queen and the others waiting to be fed in the nest.
If the bait you’re using is not effective, you’ll need to change baits. You can try a different brand, or switch the different types of bait around to different locations. Also, you must remove any other food nearby when baiting; don’t leave out any pet food or fruit. Likewise, leave the bait undisturbed once the ants find it and start feeding on it.
Pharaoh ants can be a persistent and determined pest, so be patient. It may take a few weeks for the bait to completely wipe out the colony. If the ant problem persists, don’t hesitate to call a professional exterminator.
contributed by: Pest Repeller Store.com – foremost expects in Insects and pest control.