As the ground warms, pavement ants start swarming up from their underground nests in search of food. You’ve probably seen these small ants massed along the edges of sidewalks or swarming over dropped food.
Black to brown and barely 1/8 inch long, pavement ants live in nests under sidewalks, driveways, patios and slab-constructed buildings. A particular nuisance in the spring and early summer when they are most active, pavement ants are a perennial pest problem at Monmouth County, New Jersey schools, businesses and homes.
Swarming Into Buildings
Pavement ants frequently swarm into classrooms, commercial buildings and residential kitchens while foraging for food. These ants are so tiny they can easily contaminate children’s lunch boxes, crawl into employees’ purses and briefcases, swarm over pet food and infiltrate cupboards and trash cans.
Their quick movements and swarming behavior can induce panic. If you place your foot or hand in their path, these ants will crawl onto your body. Pavement ant infestations in schools and office buildings where students and employees cannot easily leave infested areas require immediate treatment by an experienced Monmouth County ant exterminator to minimize upset to children and employees.
Professional Extermination Needed
The inaccessibility of their nests makes pavement ants a challenge to exterminate. Home and garden sprays may kill visible ants, but pavement ants live in large colonies where the loss of a few dozen individuals has little impact. Typically, ants reroute their activities around do-it-yourself treatments, making it more difficult for professional ant exterminators to treat these annoying pests.
If pavement ants are a repetitive problem, you may want to consider protecting your home with an Allison Pest Control Home Protection Plan or talking to our ant extermination experts about commercial pest control for your school or business.