Flying Ants In The Attic

The ants pick up the bait and take it back to the nest where it kills the entire colony.

Flying ants in the attic. While most ants are wingless and flightless flying ants also known as alates or swarmers are still normal carpenter ants. Are you sure they are ants and not termites. They are most commonly found nesting in wet damp and or rotting wood but may also be present in dry wood. If the ant species stings like fire ants do the winged fire ants can still do the same.

Make sure that the bait you have purchased is specifically for carpenter ants. They can look quite similar to each other. When flying ants emerge in a swarm it is for the purpose of mating. Carpenter ants have built a reputation for shaving through wood making holes and tunnels that damage it.

Flying ants usually are more of a nuisance than harmful although they might damage plants during their few days of infestation. While it would be unusual to have an entire colony in your attic it is not unheard of. Termites however can be harmful to houses and other structures and are considered pests. A single ant colony could have as many as 50 000 individuals.

However it is not essential that flying ants in your house would appear after rains only. It sounds a bit out of character for ants to be in your attic they generally only are found in places that have a food source of some type. In fact these ants behave according to the temperature humidity and the speed of the wind. The good news here is that the ants are visible to you and they are still going outdoors to forage which means they will walk through areas that that you treat outdoors.

Flying ants are sometimes mistaken for flying termites and the opposite also is true. It s highly unlikely ants will bite or sting you while they re flying so don t run headlong into any mating swarms and you should be fine. Flying ants may seem more formidable than their tiny ant counterparts. When ants do this to your attic structures it could significantly compromise its stability and your roof could cave in any.

Interestingly though flying ants also known as swarmers or alates aren t actually a different variety of ant at all. If you spot a cluster of flying red ants or a full blown flying ant infestation the first thing you ll want to do is repair or replace the rotted wood. Ants will build nests where ever they can find a suitable area to do so. Whenever these conditions are favorable.

If the ant species bites like a carpenter ant the winged carpenter ants can still bite if they feel threatened. Dry wood termites. Seeing a flying ant in your home or yard can be troubling but is by no means a reason to panic. Ants could damage your attic in as few as six months.

Insecticide spray is a good option for just a few flying ants as it won t have a big impact on the colony as a whole.