Ants are among the planet’s most successful species. Adaptable and prolific with highly evolved survival instincts, ants are a formidable foe when they invade Monmouth County, New Jersey homes and businesses.
No Such Thing as One Ant
Ants live in massive social colonies where each ant’s role in the colony is well defined. Depending on the species, colonies may have one or several egg-producing queens; but the majority of colony members are sterile female workers that care for the colony and its members. Workers forage for food, feed and groom the queen and their colony mates, care for the young, and defend and maintain the nest.
How Colonies Expand
When colonies become too large or are endangered, they may split to establish new colonies. Depending on the species, ant colonies expand either by swarming or budding.
- Swarming. When colonies become too crowded, winged male and female reproductives are produced. After crawling from underground nests to the surface, couples fly off in mating flights. Males die after mating, but females land to begin new colonies. Carpenter ants and citronella ants expand by swarming.
- Budding. When ant colonies expand by budding, a queen and group of workers break away from the parent nest to begin a new colony. Budding colonies are usually established close to parent nests. With multiple egg-producing queens, budding colonies can multiply ant populations exponentially. Odorous house ants and disease-spreading pharaoh ants expand by budding.
Successful Extermination
Trying to self-treat ants can cause a colony to move or bud, making it more difficult to exterminate. Allison Pest Control’s experienced ant exterminators can successfully rid your home or business of ant infestations. Call us today!