Serving Memphis, Cordova, Germantown & Collierville TN
Ants may be small, but when they invade your home or yard, they can quickly become a major nuisance. In Memphis, Cordova, Germantown, and Collierville, we deal with ant infestations year-round—but especially in the spring and summer when colonies become more active.
Whether it’s a swarm in your pantry or mounds in your yard, chances are you’re dealing with one of these four common culprits. Here’s what every homeowner needs to know.
1. Carpenter Ants: The Silent Wood Destroyers
- Size: 1/8 to 1/2 inch
- Color: Black (occasionally reddish)
- Threat Level: High (structural damage)
Carpenter ants are the largest of the common ant species in the Mid-South and often show up in spring. While they don’t eat wood like termites, they excavate it to build nests, often targeting moist or decayed wood around your property.
They tend to nest outdoors in tree stumps or rotting logs, but they often create satellite colonies inside homes—hidden in walls, window frames, or attic beams. By the time you notice them, significant damage may already be done.
Signs of a Carpenter Ant Infestation:
- Sawdust-like material near baseboards or window sills
- Faint rustling sounds inside walls
- Winged ants appearing indoors (especially April–May)
2. Fire Ants: Aggressive and Unwelcome Guests
- Size: 1/10 to 1/4 inch
- Color: Reddish-brown with darker abdomens
- Threat Level: High (painful stings and aggressive behavior)
Fire ants are highly territorial and deliver painful stings to anything they see as a threat—including humans and pets. You’ll often find them by the mounds they build in open, sunny areas like lawns, sidewalks, and garden beds.
These ants can relocate quickly, often by latching onto potted plants, mulch, or soil. Once they’re established, they’re difficult to eliminate without professional treatment.
Why Fire Ants Are Dangerous:
- Multiple ants sting at once
- Stings can cause allergic reactions
- DIY treatments often worsen the problem by scattering the colony
3. Little Black Ants: Tiny Invaders in Large Numbers
- Size: About 1.5 mm
- Color: Deep black
- Threat Level: Moderate (sanitation issues)
These tiny ants are often harmless but highly inconvenient, especially when they show up in kitchens and pantries. They enter homes through the smallest cracks, looking for crumbs, moisture, and sugary residue.
Don’t let their size fool you—they can show up in large numbers, and what you see is likely only a fraction of the colony.
What Attracts Them:
- Food left out or improperly stored
- Leaky faucets or standing water
- Dirty dishes or trash bins
4. Odorous House Ants: The Stinky Squatters
- Size: Around 1/8 inch
- Color: Brown to black
- Threat Level: Low (but smelly)
These ants get their name from the rotten, coconut-like odor they release when crushed. Though they don’t bite or sting, odorous house ants are a common kitchen invader, particularly attracted to sweet foods and moisture.
They often nest inside wall voids, under floorboards, or near leaky pipes—making them hard to eliminate without targeted treatment.
How They Enter Your Home:
- Through foundation cracks
- Gaps in window frames or baseboards
- Utility line entry points
Why Professional Ant Control Matters
Ants can reproduce rapidly, spread silently, and damage your home or yard without warning. Over-the-counter sprays and DIY methods may provide short-term relief, but they rarely target the root of the problem—especially in the case of carpenter and fire ants.
At AAA Termite & Pest, our expert technicians know how to identify the specific ant species and create a custom treatment plan to eliminate infestations at the source—and keep them from coming back.
Serving the Mid-South with Reliable Ant Control
From kitchens in Cordova to lawns in Germantown, we help families across the Mid-South stay ant-free all year long. Whether you’re seeing a few scouts or full-blown trails, we’re here to help.
📞 Call AAA Termite & Pest today at (901) 457-1117
Let us protect your home with effective, long-lasting ant control solutions tailored to the Memphis area.