Pest Gallery

Ants

Ants are very social insects, and at Breda we take advantage of this process. We use non-repellant products that are designed to spread from one ant to the next and that is how we achieve complete colony elimination. The ants seen are the workers; they represent only 10% of the colony. So, the common mistake made is to treat those ants and think problem solved. With the non-repellant products, the ants come in contact with the barrier unknowingly and take the food source back to the other ants protecting the colony. 6-8 hours later the non-repellant starts to take effect. The products Breda uses are Green products, because we understand the importance of protecting you and your family from harmful pesticides.

Ants have a complete life cycle, or metamorphosis, so their development proceeds through four stages – egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Ant colonies build structures called “nests,” which typically require much effort by the worker ants in the colony to maintain. Many species prefer to nest in the ground; others will be found in wood such as dead logs, fence posts, hollow trees or even within structures. When ants nest in wood, their damage will usually be much less than that caused by termites because ants will only hollow out a nest gallery. Unlike termites, ants do not eat wood and cannot digest cellulose.

Some ant species feed on a wide variety of food items, while others typically feed on a rather narrow range of foods. Food preferences may also change significantly during the course of a season, especially for outdoor species, or depending on the specific needs of the colony. Periods of high egg production typically require foraging ants to bring back proteins to the queen or queens, while at other times foragers may prefer to gather sugars or greases for their own energy needs or to promote larval growth.

Click on the following links to learn more about specific ants: