Ants are a common household pest, and many homeowners have to do ant control at some point. But seeing winged ants around your home is much rarer. This article will give you some basic information on winged ants and help you figure out how best to respond if you see these pests around your home. If you need pest control in Yakima County, you can always call Prosite.
What Are Winged Ants?
While they are much less common to encounter than non-winged ants, winged ants do, in fact, exist. There are typically three types, or castes, of ants in a colony – reproductive females, non-reproductive females, and males. The non-reproductive females are called workers, and the reproductive females are called queens. Males and queens both have wings, and some species of ants also possess workers with wings. The queens usually shed their wings after mating, while the males simply die. Winged ants tend to come out in large numbers after heavy rains in certain months of the year. Ant control in Yakima County is obviously important, but are winged ants worse than other kinds of ants?
Are Winged Ants Worse Than Any Other Ants?
The good news is that if you see a large number of winged ants, about half of them will likely be dead in a few days. Males only emerge to mate and die as soon as an hour afterward. The bad news, however, is that seeing a lot of winged ants in your house or around your property is a good sign that you have one or more large ant colonies in one of those places. Males will often leave their original colony after mating in search of another colony they can help fertilize. This may be a good time to contact a home pest control service in Yakima County. Let’s look at what might be attracting winged ants to your property in the first place and what you can do to prevent them from infesting your home or yard.
Why Do I Have Winged Ants Around My Home?
Whether inside or outside your home, the area where you find winged ants is likely where the colony is located. Ants are attracted to damp areas, standing water, and food. The presence of winged ants in your house or on your property indicates at least one nearby colony, possibly more. These are some simple ant prevention tips that should help you minimize your risk of infestation.
- Take out the trash frequently.
- Don’t leave food uncovered overnight.
- Clean floors, counters, and hard-to-reach areas of your kitchen regularly.
- Inspect the exterior of your house for cracks and openings and seal any you find.
- Eliminate areas of excess moisture or standing water within and around your home.
These actions are merely preventative, however. If you find that your house is attracting too many winged ants, it’s time to seek out professional ant control solutions.
What’s The Best Way To Get Rid Of Winged Ants?
Ants are persistent, but with help from trained experts like the technicians at Prosite, you can reclaim your property and get rid of these Yakima County ants. Prosite is locally owned, and our employees are highly skilled and equipped with all the resources they need to provide excellent customer service. We’ve been serving Yakima County and the rest of Central Washington for years and are the best pest control company for ants in the area. Contact Prosite today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Yakima County.