As a resident of Arizona, you have probably noticed a lot of ants crawling around your home lately. These pests are often more annoying than damaging, but either way, they are not something that you want crawling all over your counters where you prepare your food. Here are some of the most common ants that can be found locally in Arizona.

1. Odorous House Ants
These little brown ants can be found nesting in the walls of your home. These are the most common type of ant to find inside the home. They tend to travel in trails, so if you notice them, wash the trail so it is more difficult for them to find the nest. You can also mix sugar with borax. Since they are attracted to sweets, they will take the poison to the nest.

2. Argentine Ants
This species of ant is small and dark brown. They tend to be drawn to sweet and sugary foods that are left on your counters at home. They also like oil, so if you are noticing these ants in your home, try to clean up completely after each meal to help deter them. These ants are most likely to nest in plants, so if you have indoor house plants, and you have been seeing a trail of these ants, then you should check the soil of your plants to see if they have made a nest there. In addition, you can leave a bit of the sugar and borax mixture in their path for them to take back to their nest.

3. Fire Ants
These reddish-brown pests are more than just annoying to have in your home; they can actually be very dangerous to have around. These ants do sting, and the sting is not something that you want to experience. It is a very painful experience and if a child gets stung by a fire ant, it can be deadly. 

If the fire ants are located outside of the home, you can attempt to carefully deal with them yourself by dousing their nest in insecticide that is designed to kill them. However, if you find a nest within the home, you need to contact a local exterminator in the Arizona area so that they can make sure that no fire ants are left in the home. Once the ants are exterminated, make sure to keep your counters wiped down so that they do not return.

4. Carpenter Ants
This type of ant is usually very large. These black ants have mandibles that they use to bore into wood, which is why you will notice sawdust laying around if these ants are present in your home. If you start noticing a lot of these ants, an exterminator may be required before they cause damage to the foundation of your home.

If you live in or around Phoenix, Arizona, and you are having trouble controlling the ant population in your home, Atomic Pest Control can help, so give them a call today.