ACROBAT ANTS

ACROBAT  ANTS

Acrobat Ants get their name from the habit of holding their abdomens above their thorax when disturbed.  There are several different species of these ants found throughout the United States.  They are not normally found inside homes, but many wander inside form time to time in search of food or when there is moisture damaged wood in a building.

The primary contributing condition involved in Acrobat Ant infestations inside or outside are dead wood and areas of high moisture.  Any water leaks which are present must be corrected.  Clogged gutters can attract Acrobat Ants.  Soffit areas that are poorly ventilated may need additional vents installed to increase ventilation.  Acrobat Ants also may be found in decayed or partially decayed wood beneath stones, in stumps, in hollow cavities, under leaf litter, around door and window frames, wall voids, woodwork, skylights, etc.  These ants sometimes use tree limbs or power lines to enter your home. 

In recent years, Acrobat Ants have been found building nests in the foam insulating board, called sheathing, located behind the siding of homes.  Any construction flaw will allow this tiny, .017 inch ant long, light brown to black ant access to your home.  In fact, these ants will nest in wood already damaged by other insects.  In one case, these ants were found trailing along the sidewalk, 100 feet from a tree, to an office building.  These ants then crawled up six floors of the building and entered on each floor.  When Acrobat Ants are allowed to grow large colonies the workers are more aggressive and sting you, or animals, if disturbed.  But, when the Acrobat Ant colony is small the worker ants are timid and don't usually sting when disturbed.

Acrobat Ants feed on a wide variety of foods including live and dead insects and the sweet honeydew produce by insects such as aphids.  Inside buildings, they will feed on sweets as often as they will feed on foods containing protein.

Eliminating the Acrobat Ant takes a combination of removing the moisture hiding areas where they are nesting and treatment of traditional pest control techniques with injection spraying and baits.

Call, 239-455-4300, Collier Pest Control today for a free estimate and a complete explanation on any of our services, or look us up on our web site at www.collierpestcontrol.com Don't let unwanted guest spoil your beautiful Southwest Florida lifestyle.  Remember, Florida

does not have to be shared with insects!

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