Ants are now the #1 pest in homes and businesses. The three most common species in the Chicago area are the Carpenter Ant, Pavement Ant, and Large Yellow Ant.

Carpenter Ant                                                                                                    

Carpenter Ants are polymorphic (different sizes). Adults are black and vary in size from 1/4" to 3/4" (1/2" and larger). The Carpenter ant is a void nesting ant.  Wood is not consumed by this ant. It will hollow out and constantly clean out the void in which it nests so people often report seeing "sawdust". A close inspection of this sawdust will reveal parts of dead ants and minute wood particles. Carpenter ant nests are generally located in areas of high moisture content (at least 20% moisture content in wood). The primary colony may be up to 350 feet from the area where worker ants are being observed. Wooden landscaping timbers, fire wood piles, and tree's are likely nesting sites. Satellite colonies are established in structures once the primary colony has existed at least 3 years and has produced reproductives The reproductive stage is winged and may be as large as 3/4". Reproductives will emerge in the late Spring. The ants observed in the house are the worker ant. They are searching for foods with high sugar and/or protein content. These ants may be observed in large numbers inside trash cans, dog food dishes, dishwashers, in sugar bowls or in cereals containing sugar. The Carpenter ant feeds on honeydew outdoors. Honeydew is produced by aphids which thrive on plants such as peonys. Allowing vines to grow on the sides of your home will make controlling this ant extremely difficult if not impossible.  This ant will cause structural damage in a home if left unchecked for extended periods of time.

Treatment:     

An intensive inspection of the structure and exterior areas will be necessary to locate the source or most likely source of infestation. The homeowner should keep accurate records of where this ant has been observed inside the home. This information will be critical in any control program as the Carpenter Ant is most active in the late (10 PM to midnight) evening.  Application of insecticidal baits will be necessary both inside and outside of the structure. Potential treatment sites inside would be voids around water leaks, damp basements/crawlspaces, pipe chases in kitchens and bathrooms, kitchen counters, around dishwashers, trash cans and hollow doors. Exterior areas treated would be wooden landscape timbers, base of foundation, flower beds, woodpiles etc. It should be noted that it will take between thirty (30) and sixty (60) days to eliminate established colonies.  Worker ants will continue to forage during this period. The average cost of treating a home will be between $279.00 and $365.00. Conditions at the home will dictate the cost of treatment. Guarantees will range from 30 days to six months depending on the conditions present at the home.

	Pavement Ant Pavement Ants are small (1/8") dark brown ants. The worker ants are all one size. This ant is a major pest in the upper Midwestern states. Pavement ants are often referred to as the sugar ant, slab ant, kitchen ant, or grease ant. This species of ant colonizes voids, particularly under cement slabs, but also prefers wall voids.
A common occurrence with this ant is a small mound of sand is excavated and piled on the pavement above nesting areas. Mature colonies (over 4 years) may contain up to 700,000 ants. The Pavement ant colony will release swarmer (reproductive ants) in late Spring. The swarming (reproductive) stage of this ant is similar in appearance to the worker except it has wings. Home owners/businesses are often surprised to find thousands of ant swarmers appearing suddenly. Swarmers may be found up to three floors above the nesting site. This ant prefers greasy food and sweets but also will feed on dead insects.
Treatment:      This ant is very difficult to eliminate due to the large number of ants present in colonies. Treatment with baits is the most effective means of elimination. Baits will need to be placed in infested areas inside the home as well as around exterior entry points. A minimum of 60 days will be required to eliminate colonies of this ant.  In cases where well established colonies exist two or three baiting may have to be performed.   The cost of treatment will vary with the size of home and conditions present and colony size. The average price for treatment starts at $149.00.. Guarantees range from 30 days to 90 days.

Large Yellow Ant    Large Yellow Ant workers are 1/4 inch long and bright yellow.  This ant forages mostly at night and is not often seen outside the nest.   Its food of choice is the honeydew produced by aphids and mealybugs. This ant is easily identified by its yellow color and by their odor, which smells like lemon.   The winged reproductives are 3/8 inch long and dark brown, and also have a lemony scent.  Due to its lemon scent this ant is often referred to as the "citronella ant". While swarms usually occur from August thru October, it is not unusual to observe swarmers in the winter months. Colonies of Large Yellow Ants are located in the soil, often under rocks, logs, or concrete slabs.  The workers will mound up large quantities of soil as they construct their nests.  When performing an inspection of a structure for nests always check the soil adjacent to foundations especially in crawl spaces.  This ant is not known to cause structural damage and is generally considered a nuisance pest.

Control Exterior application of microencapsulated insecticides around the structures foundation, wood piles, patios, rock gardens, retaining walls and outbuildings is a must.  An inspection of interior crawlspaces must be performed but insecticides should not be applied unless a nesting area is found during the inspection.  The best way to eliminate any of these ants observed in living areas is to vacuum them up then remove bag from machine and dispose of it.  The cost of treatment for this ant starts at $145.00 and will vary according to the extent of treatment required.