Ant identification is certainly an art.
After all, many insects look like one another, but with more than 200 species in the world, it’s important to know what type of ant you are dealing with if you want to remove them effectively.
Two species of ants commonly mistaken for one another are that of the carpenter ant and the field ant.
Appearance
The field ant is just as common as a carpenter ant so that you might find them around your property. They look like carpenter ants, with a medium-to-large size (for an ant), single waist segment, and it does not help that the two come from the same subfamily of Formica and Camponotus.
Luckily, you just need to examine the thorax from the side to tell which ant you are dealing with.
If two distinct curves break the insect’s silhouette, you have a field ant on your hands.
If, however, you see a continuous silhouette, then you are dealing with a carpenter ant.
Habitats
Field ants like to hang around structures, but not necessarily in them. Carpenter ants burrow and nest inside structures, while field ants are soil nesters.
They will create mounds in fields, lawns, and keep a low profile just at the tip of the grass.
You might find a colony of field ants resting under rocks and landscape timber, which might make you think you have a carpenter ant.
However, carpenter ants prefer moist wood more than freshly chopped firewood and timber.
Behaviour
An ant exterminator in Toronto can often tell which type of ant you have because they examine the behaviours of all species of ants.
Carpenter ants and field ants are very different regarding nest sites.
- The ideal carpenter ant nest: Carpenter ants make their home in porches, windowsills, roofs, and dead trees.
- The ideal field ant nest: They burrow and dig into soil, not wood, and create intricate underground tunnel systems.
Still Not Sure? Call a Pro for Ant Removal in Toronto
Regardless of which ant type you are dealing with, field and carpenter ants are equally frustrating to have on your property.
While one might not destroy your home’s interior, field ants can destroy your lawn, garden, and in between.
Power Pest Control can come out to your home or business and not only identify which pest you are dealing with but create a customized solution to rid you of them for good.
We carry an A+ rating with the BBB, and we are highly recommended on HomeStars.com, so you know you are hiring a local pro.
Stop guessing which ant you are dealing with and call your local ant exterminator in Toronto at Power Pest Control now.
Contact us at 647-708-7378 or connect with us online.
