Thief ants are not just a pain to have in your house; they can also make you quite ill. The thief ant, who gets its name from their habits of stealing food from other ant colonies, are known disease-transporters who will readily infest your home if the opportunity presents itself.
How to Identify Thief Ants
Thief ants are quite small, measuring just 1/32 of an inch in length. Their coloring is lighter than that of many other ant species, with hues ranging from yellow to light brown. They do have stingers, but this isn’t the biggest concern with these ants.
Problems Caused By Thief Ants
Thief ants prefer food sources that are high in protein, and will seek out foods such as nuts, meats, and dairy products. They will also feed on other insects, along with dead animals such as rats or mice. This is where the biggest threat comes from – oftentimes, these dead animals harbor bacteria and other diseases, which thief ants can then transport into your home. Once inside, they can contaminate food left sitting out.
Seasonality
The thief ant is active year-round, with mating swarms occurring in late July through early fall.
Treatment And Extremination Of Thief Ants
Treatment of thief ants is possible. Call Florida Environmental today for a full assessment of your problem!
