A person’s home is their castle, and it’s essential to keep unwanted visitors like ants from getting in. Unlike a real castle with a moat and drawbridge, modern homes require more flexible forms of defence based on expert knowledge of the critters trying to get in.

We are proud to offer Toronto pest control services to everyone from the downtown core to the far reaches of the GTA, driven by our specialized knowledge of how different types of ants behave and breed. While it’s common for most people to think there is merely one thing called “ants,” there are different species of ants, and each one has its own unique tendencies.

Please keep reading to learn more about the different types of ants in Ontario and how the leading pest control services use their expert knowledge to stop them all in their tracks before they can enter your home.

Carpenter Ants

Unlike carpenters, carpenter ants don’t build homes using wood as a material. If anything, it’s the opposite. They get their name because they excavate smooth tunnels into the wood by chewing, making a nest inside. They don’t eat the wood but use their teeth to weaken the material, doing damage to your home.

One ant doesn’t seem like much of a problem, but there is seldom only one ant. The western black carpenter ant colony contains between 10-20,000 workers when mature, and large colonies may contain over 50,000 individual ants.

One functional wingless queen presides over each colony, producing swarmers after two years. Swarmers are produced in the previous year and remain for the winter in the nest, emerging in public between May and August.

If you see small openings in the wood in your home, it’s a sign you need carpenter ant control services before they do any more damage. Carpenter ants prefer attacking wood softened by fungus, which is usually associated with moisture problems.

Homeowners should look for excess moisture and rotting wood around the home to pre-emptively keep carpenter ants away. If it’s too late, Greenleaf Pest Control will eliminate the infestation and prevent it from occurring again.

We’ll get rid of any moisture from the house by keeping branches and other plants back and ensure there are no cracks or openings around the bottom of doors or windows by using a silicone-based caulk. We use effective chemical treatments that are harsh on ants but friendly to pets and the environment.

With Spring around the corner, you may find that there’s a group of carpenter ants hiding after the long winter, ready to emerge out in the open. If you’re looking for support to get rid of these or any other kind of ant, call us.

Pharaoh Ants

Pharoah ants get their name from the mythological plagues of Egypt described in Exodus from the Old Testament. While pharaoh ants are thought to be native to Africa, they’re found throughout the US and Canada.

Pharoah ants tend to be large and pale in colour, residing in large colonies. They eat sweets, oils, proteins, and other dead insects. Pharoah ants hide behind walls and use telephone and electric wires to transport themselves between walls and floorboards.

This type of ant is more than just a nuisance: if you see pharaoh ants, call for pharaoh ant control because they can spread diseases like salmonella and Streptococcus pyogenes. Such a species of ant is a reminder that pest control is a public health service, not just combatting something icky.

There are things you can do to prevent attracting this type of ant, like keeping the inside and outside of your home clean and dry. Feel free to call Greenleaf Pest Control for our custom prevention strategies or extermination services.

Even if the pharaoh ants in your home don’t amount to a Biblical plague, homeowners are right to want them gone!

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants get their name because, you guessed it, they burrow into the pavement. However, don’t associate pavement with just roads found in the outdoors. Pavement ants eat almost anything, from insects, seeds, honeydew, breads, meats, cheeses, nuts, and more, meaning they are drawn to kitchens.

You’ll be glad to know that these ants don’t pose a public health risk, but they do contaminate food and should be avoided. You can prevent attracting pavement ants in a few basic ways, like keeping the kitchen tidy and crumb-free.

You shouldn’t store firewood or building materials next to your home, either, as that’s where pavement ants like to make nests. Don’t hesitate to call Greenleaf Pest Control for pavement ant control services if you see this species in your home. We can provide comprehensive treatment to ensure these ants go away and stay gone.

Home Protection Plan

Calling in pest control when you have an ant infestation is essential, but you’d rather not be in such a situation. The Greenleaf Pest Control home protection plan lets homeowners enjoy peace of mind 365 days a year by giving pre-emptive, tailored services that keep all pests away.

Such an effortless, effective service prevents a gross and unhealthy issue from arising in the first place. We are a local business that always strives to deliver an environmentally conscious, family-first approach involving safe pet methods and Health Canada-approved materials.

If you need comprehensive and friendly ant control in Toronto or the GTA, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll give you a free quote and all the helpful, friendly support you rightly expect from a local business.

Your home needs to be clean and safe, and this is difficult to achieve if there’s a pest infestation. Ants can damage your property, present health risks, and they’re simply unpleasant to look at. Control over what does and doesn’t enter your home is crucial, as the presence of pests where you live is violating. Take charge and get rid of the ants and other pests by calling Greenleaf Pest Control for extermination services or our home protection plan.