Since there are so many different species of ants, identification plays an important role in controlling these pests. Two types of ants that are very familiar in St. Louis are carpenter ants and odorous house ants.

Carpenter ants are larger than most ants and typically brownish-black in color. These ants love to invade moisture-damaged wood and will cause dangerous structural damages to your home and surrounding buildings. They build their nests inside of the wood, but do not actually consume it like termites. They craft galleries, or tunnels, within the wood to use as passageways. They like areas that typically retain moisture such as under windows, roof eaves, decks, and porches. Although the main issue with carpenter ants is their wood-boring, they also have the same annoying diet as most ant species. Once the workers start building their tunnels, the scavenging workers will search for food to bring back to their colony. Unfortunately, this means they will invade any unsealed food in the house.

Odorous house ants are fairly small and black in color. While they do not cause direct damage to your home itself, they can quickly build an infestation in your kitchen or garden. They get their name from the foul smell they give off when their bodies are crushed. This is one reason why eliminating these ants in a proper way is important, as the rotten fruit smell that they emit is not pleasant. These ant colonies can number in the thousands if they have a constant food source nearby. Odorous house ants can actually live either inside or outside, as long as they have a dark place in which to build their nest. These ants can feed on many types of food, which is why they tend to invade the pantry and food storage immediately. 

It is best to call in the experts at Pointe when dealing with an ant invasion because they have the knowledge to determine the type of ant, as well as provide the most effective and safe ways to treat them.