When you’re a pest control in Menifee expert, you learn a lot of interesting facts about ants throughout the years. However, when you're dealing with an ant invasion in your kitchen, you're probably not stopping to observe these creatures but rather looking for ways to rid them from your home.
Yes, if you face an ant invasion in your Menifee home, don't hesitate to contact The Local Bug Guy. Our professional tech who covers Menifee will be there as soon as possible to handle your ant invasion.
But during your treatment, any Local Bug Guy can tell you all the exciting facts about these tiny creatures. So here are the top 7 crazy facts we love to talk about.
Pest Control in Menifee: The Top 7 Crazy Facts About Ants
There are more than 10,000 species in the world, so ants will differ slightly based on where they live. But overall, here are the top 7 crazy facts you can share with family and friends.
1. Ants are super strong
Ants can carry anywhere from 10-50 times their body weight. This is especially true for worker ants. These are the ones who are responsible for building the colony and bringing back food. The amount an ant can carry varies based on the species. For example, the Asian weaver ant can lift 100 times its own weight!
If that doesn't sound too impressive, let's think about the equivalent of a human. It would be the same as asking you to pick up and carry a cow. These little warriors are practically made of muscle. They are always on the move to fulfill their duties for the colony.
2. Ants don’t breathe with lungs
Ants don’t breathe with lungs because they don’t have lungs. Their bodies are actually so small there isn’t room for them. Instead, they breathe using tiny holes located on the sides of their bodies.
These holes are then attached to tubes that distribute oxygen to the rest of the body. Carbon dioxide also travels the same tubes and leaves the body through the same holes.
3. Ants don’t have ears, either
Nope, ants don't have ears either. Instead, they can listen by using vibrations. They sense vibrations with their feet, and they can communicate with each other by using their antennas.
Additionally, ants also communicate by leaving a trail of chemicals. For example, an ant will leave a trail when they find food. That way, other ants can follow and help bring more food back to the colony. That's why it's essential to call in professionals for ant removal, so all those invisible trails get removed.
4. Some ants are asexual
There are unique species of ants that don't need to use the traditional reproduction method. For example, some Amazonian species can clone themselves! The queen can duplicate herself to produce daughters, so there isn't any need for males.
In Menifee, there aren't any asexual ants to our knowledge, and we've been around for a while. The most common ants, Argentine ants, harvester ants, and carpenter ants, reproduce the traditional way. However, Argentine ants can have more than one queen to mass-produce into a supercolony.
5. Ants can swim
Again, it depends on the species, but ants are known swimmers. That’s why they can survive mass floods and storms. They might not be doing the breaststroke, but they do have their own version of the doggy paddle.
This allows them to stay afloat for long periods or find a nearby leaf or piece of floating wood for refuge. Additionally, they can also hold their breath underwater for an incredibly long time.
6. Ants are really, really, really old
When we say ants are old, we’re talking like, old enough to be roaming with dinosaurs old.
A joint study by Florida State University and Harvard University found that ants originated during the Cretaceous period, approximately 140-160 million years ago. That means they survived the ice age and the major event that scientists believe wiped out the dinosaurs, the Cretaceous-Tertiary, or K-T extinction for short.
We think it’s fair to say these little creatures are quite the survivors!
7. The biggest ant colony stretches over countries
If you're wondering how big ant colonies can get, the world record for the biggest ant colony spreads over several countries in Europe and was recorded as an official Guinness World Record back in 2002.
The largest recorded contiguous ant colony is 3,700 miles, and it covers the northern part of Italy, goes through France, and ends along with the Atlantic coast in Spain. This colony belongs to the Argentine ant. As you can imagine, this colony fascinates scientists and the incredible organization these creatures have over such a vast amount of space.
Pest Control Prevention Tips for Ants in Menifee
You can certainly have an appreciation for ants without dealing with them in or around your home. Here are some quick prevention tips:
Argentine Ants
Remove any unnecessary wood, bricks, or other items around the house that would make an ideal nesting place.
If possible, keep mulch 12 inches away from the house's foundation.
Make sure your sprinkler system doesn't hit the house.
Keep your shrubs and bushes trimmed, so they don't touch the house.
Close up any cracks or openings.
Carpenter Ants
Throw away any wood outside that's more than two years old, especially if it's close to the house.
If you have trees removed, make sure also to remove the stumps.
Remove dead tree limbs from your trees and yard.
Double-check your gutters, take water away from your house, and that you're not left with massive amounts of puddles around the foundation.
Harvester Ants
If harvester ants are wreaking havoc in your yard, the best solution is to call in professionals. There are a few at-home treatments, but they are not effective enough to end the issue for good. That's because a harvester ant colony is massive and intricate with hundreds, if not thousands, of tunnels. A trained professional will have bait and toxicants that will target the entire colony.
Call in the Pest Control Experts in Menifee For Ants
No matter the ant issue, please give us a call. At The Local Bug Guy, ants are our specialty. We exclusively study ants that call Menifee home and why we offer convenient pest control prevention plans that help keep these pests away from your home.
We’d be happy to discuss our easy pricing options, so please do not hesitate to reach out today.