Common Ants Invading Commercial Properties

With their massive colony size and sophisticated methods of communications, ants could be launching an attack on your business. As one of the most resourceful pests, they can sneak into buildings through the tiniest cracks, and once they find food, they don’t hesitate to share the directions with the rest of their colony (for more on ants’ fascinating behavior, download Orkin’s free reference guide, the Antcyclopedia).

There are more than 700 species of ants in the United States, but some are more common than others. Before you attempt an offensive on the next ant colony you find on your property, you need to know the type of ant, as each species presents unique challenges.

Here are just three of the most common ants found in commercial spaces and the specific risks they pose to your business:

Argentine Ants

Argentine ants are known for their massive network of interconnected colonies: when a queen leaves to start her own colony, she will stay in the area to maintain ties with the original colony. Argentine ants move swiftly and live under wood, logs, debris and mulch. Medium in size, they are dark brown or black.

Risks to Your Business:

• Sheer numbers: Because they cooperate rather than compete, their populations explode quickly. A small sighting can turn into a facility-wide takeover in days.

• Perimeter breach: They are aggressively invasive and will displace native species, meaning if you see them, they’ve likely already cleared out the competition and set up shop in your landscaping.

• Contamination: They travel long distances and walk over sewage and refuse before crawling across your desks or food prep surfaces.

Odorous House Ants

Odorous house ants are commonly called stink ants, as they produce a rotten coconut smell when crushed. They move quickly and establish strong trails for other foragers from the colony to follow. Odorous house ants are often confused with Argentine ants because of their similarity in size and color, but odorous house ants have an unevenly shaped thorax (one that isn’t easily noticeable without the help of your pest management provider).

Risks to Your Business:

• Food Safety Violations: These ants love sweets and moisture. They will aggressively invade commercial kitchens, pantries, and breakrooms, contaminating food supplies.

• Reputation Damage: Nothing ruins a customer experience quite like a crushed ant that smells like spoilage.

• Hard to Evict: They often nest near moisture sources like wall voids near hot water pipes, beneath dishwashers, or under sinks, making them difficult to reach with DIY sprays.

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants are light brown or black and larger than the Argentine and odorous house ants. They live under stones, along curbs and in the cracks of pavement. These ants also are very territorial and will go head-to-head with another colony for their right to the area.

You’ve got bigger problems than identifying these tiny nuisance pests, and ant species can be difficult to tell apart. If you have ants on your property, work with a pest management professional to help identify them correctly so you can create a plan customized to that ant’s behavior, diet and habitat.

• Access via Utilities: Pavement ants often use electrical wires and pipes as highways to enter your building from underground.

• Winter Invaders: In colder months, they seek heat. If your facility has heated concrete slabs or radiant flooring, these ants will happily nest underneath and emerge inside your facility year-round.

• Aesthetic Nuisance: They push up piles of dirt and debris through cracks in your walkways and entryway tiles, creating an unsightly welcome for clients and auditors.

Ant Prevention Tips for Businesses

You have bigger problems to solve than identifying bug anatomy. However, keeping these pests out is critical for compliance and safety. Here is how you can make your facility less attractive to an ant colony:

Exclusion

Ants are looking for the path of least resistance.

• Seal the gaps: Use silicone caulk to seal cracks in the foundation, gaps around utility pipes, and crevices around window frames.

• Install door sweeps: Ensure there are no gaps under exterior doors that allow pests to waltz right in.

Sanitation

If there is no food, they won’t stay.

• Eliminate spills immediately: Grease, sugar, and crumbs are magnets for foragers. Deep clean under appliances and in corners where debris accumulates.

• Manage waste: Keep dumpsters located away from building entrances and ensure lids are always sealed tight.

Environment

Your landscaping shouldn't be a bridge to your building.

• Trim vegetation: Keep tree branches and shrubbery trimmed back so they don't touch the building exterior. Ants use these branches as bridges to bypass your ground-level treatments.

• Fix leaks: Moisture attracts thirsty ants. Repair leaky faucets, irrigation systems, and clogged gutters to remove their water source.

If you spot a line of ants marching across your lobby, don’t panic—but do act fast. Generic sprays often make the problem worse by causing colonies to split and spread. Partner with a pest management professional to deploy an effective plan that protects your reputation and keeps your business compliant.

To learn more about these and other common ants – and how to help get rid of them – download Orkin’s free Antcyclopedia: Your Quick Reference Guide to the #1 Pest Problem.

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