We’ve really only been aware of the white footed ant in the US for a little less than 30 years. But in that short time they’ve progressed from an interesting anomaly to a multi-county pest control nuisance. They’re not terribly dangerous but this accidental import has a sweet tooth that makes it particularly pesky.
The white footed ant is a black ant with light colored lower legs as its name suggests. They are a small ant but they create big problems. At least 8 counties are struggling with this ant and more are worried about rising numbers. This ant was accidentally imported from Japan and has taken root in Florida as well as Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana.
It doesn’t bite or sting and it doesn’t do any damage to structures. Sounds harmless, right? Here are a few ways they cause problems.
- The white footed ant may not be venomous or destructive but it has a serious sweet tooth. This ant loves sugary stuff and will go to any length to get inside your home to get it.
- Body size. They are quite small, which means they can get inside through even the tiniest cracks in both natural and man-made structures.
- Colony size. Their bodies may be tiny but their colonies are enormous, well over 1 million individuals to a nest.
- Nests are comprised of multiple satellites, making traditional treatments less effective.
- Unlike most ants, not all food is shared between the larvae and the workers. This makes baits less effective as well.
Treating for white footed ants is a job for a professional outdoor pest control specialists at Slug-A-Bug. We will likely use a combination of green pest control techniques to rid your yard of white footed ants. Since they do love sweets, baits are often a first choice for control but they cannot do the whole job. Slug-A-Bug technicians will know just what products to use to remove this pest from your yard.