If you’ve noticed ants colonizing the cracks in your driveway, establishing nests along your sidewalks and walkways, or occupying space elsewhere on your property, it’s likely pavement ants. Notorious for creating sandhill-like mounds in the soil around the previously mentioned places, pavement ants are the bane of homeowners in Chatham, Millstone, and Elizabeth as well as throughout New Jersey. Since they are a significant summer pest problem in the garden state, our local pest control company gets numerous calls about this type of ant from concerned property owners wondering if they are harmful, if they bite, and what can be done to exterminate the problem. So, with that in mind, we’ve decided to delve a little deeper into the topic of pavement ants.
What do pavement ants look like?
The coloring of pavement ants in New Jersey varies from dark brown to black. They’re a fairly small ant, measuring approximately 1/8th of an inch in length but don’t necessarily have any visible distinctions that may help you distinguish them from other ants in the region. Really, one of the most accurate ways to identify this species of ant is by the nesting habits we mentioned above.
Do pavement ants bite?
While pavement ants do not bite, they are capable of stinging. Before you become alarmed at the thought of hundreds of pavement ants stinging your family, we are here to reassure you that their stings are very weak and often do not penetrate skin. The exception, because there’s always an exception, is for individuals who are extremely sensitive. They may notice a sting and may develop a rash or skin irritation.
While pavement ants will do battle with neighboring ant colonies on the sidewalks outside your home, when it comes to encounters with people, they are not aggressive ants and will likely flee from confrontation rather than take a stand and come out stinging.
Are pavement ants harmful?
To answer this question, we need to look at the possible ways ants can be harmful. More specifically are they harmful to people and are they harmful to property.
As noted above, pavement ants are not a major health threat. They may affect individuals with sensitivity and typically only mildly. We should point out that if pavement ants get into your home, there is the possibility they can spread germs that cause salmonella. Really it depends on where their “feet” have been prior to entering your home.
While carpenter ants in New Jersey are a wood-destroying pest (falling into the same category as termites and old house borers), pavement ants are not a threat to structures. For the most part, they are considered a nuisance pest who inspire feelings of annoyance and disgust.
Is there a way to get rid of pavement ants naturally?
There are a ton of natural remedies to get rid of pavement ants available on the internet including concoctions of dish soap and water, vinegar and water, and baking soda and powdered sugar, but do they really work? There’s a chance you may notice a reduction in pavement ant activity but will it get rid of pavement ants? We say not likely. That’s because these natural methods often cause ants to disperse but it’s often a temporary evacuation. They come back and often grow worse because these natural solutions don’t address the root source or cause of the infestation.
How do you get rid of pavement ants?
The most effective way to eliminate pavement ants is to contact a pest control company with proven experience. At Arrow Pest Control, we’ve been controlling pavement ants and other pests in several New Jersey counties for more than 47 years and are ready to help you take back your property from encroaching insects and rodents.
Home Protection Program
Service consists of the elimination of your current pest or rodent problem, complemented by both interior and exterior year-round protection of your home, which is inclusive of three seasonal visits. The program covers your entire property including attics, mailboxes, playsets, sheds, and fences.
Pests targeted with Arrow’s Home Protection Plan services include ants (excluding carpenter ants, pharaoh ants and acrobatic), bees, boxelder bugs, carpenter bees, carpet beetles, centipedes, cicada killers, clover mites, crickets, digger bees, earwigs, fabric & paper pests, fleas (inside only), ground beetles, hornets, mice, pillbugs, millipedes, rats, roaches, silverfish, sowbugs, spiders, springtails, stored product pests, and wasps.
*If you have a pool house that requires service, pricing would increase based upon the size of the structure.
or call now (732) 844-8640
