Many people today might think that these ants are new to the Big Apple, but they’re not even new to Manhattan. Ants have been in New York City for a long time. The folklore about the hardy red and black ant wiping out all other varieties to dominate Manhattan is a myth, but these ants were fighting other species of ants for the same turf for decades. Because of its cosmopolitan location, New York City is home to most types of ant that can be found in the United States. About 50 native ant species and 10 imported species have been reported here. Because ants have colonized in just about every corner of the city, it’s nearly impossible to completely eradicate them. Many people are either unaware of this or unconcerned with the presence of ants. This can become a problem because a thriving colony can be dangerous to your pet’s health.

New York City Ants

Introduction

Ants are common insects, but they can become pests when they nest in human habitations. Even though ants have a relatively short life span, there are many of them and they work together to protect their colonies. If your home is infested by ants, it may be difficult to get rid of them.

Life Cycle

The ant’s life cycle begins with the egg-laying phase. Ants typically lay their eggs in spring, creating nests that can house hundreds of thousands of workers. In addition to being brought out by the queen, these young ants are also produced by unfertilized eggs known as parthenogenetic females.

When they hatch from their eggs into larvae, these ants spend three weeks growing and developing into pupae before emerging as adults after another two weeks or so. The average lifespan for a worker ant is about a year; however, queens can live for several years longer than that if conditions are ideal for survival.

Food Preferences

• Ants are omnivores.
• They eat almost anything.
• Ants prefer sweet foods, carbohydrates and protein-based foods that are high in sugar or fat content. It is not uncommon for ants to be attracted to food with a high sugar content, such as soda bottles left out on the picnic table at your local park.

If you have ever seen an ant crawl across your countertop, it’s likely because there was a crumb of cake or some other sweet treat lying around!

Nuisance or Dangerous?

There are several reasons why ants can be a nuisance in your home. They may carry diseases, damage property and food, damage pets and kids, or even potentially hurt you. If you have an ant infestation in New York City, call us at (716) 751-3426 to schedule an appointment today!

• Ants are dangerous to your health.

Ants are known carriers of at least 70 different pathogens that can cause illness in humans. These pathogens include bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli; viruses such as poliovirus; parasitic worms such as hookworms; fungi like coccidioidomycosis fungus (valley fever); protozoa called toxoplasmosis gondii; fungi called Cryptococcus neoformans; and several others that affect humans negatively when they come into contact with them through an ant bite or some other form of contact with the insect’s waste products (like saliva). The most common way people get these illnesses is through bites on their skin from infected ants or by ingesting contaminated food items found within their nests like honeydew produced by aphids feeding off sap from trees or berries growing nearby trees.”

Extermination

• When you’re dealing with a New York City ant infestation, the first step is to locate and remove the nest. Ants will be found in cracks and crevices around your home or apartment, near food sources and water. Once you’ve identified these areas, you can begin to rid them of ants by using an insecticide (available at hardware stores) in a solution of 2 tablespoons liquid dishwashing soap mixed with 1 quart water.
• Pour this mixture into small containers and place them strategically around your home—under sinks, behind appliances or along window sills where ants are most likely to gather.*
• You’ll need to reapply this treatment every week until all traces of the colony have been removed.* This may take several applications; don’t stop until there are no more signs that they’ve returned!

Ants are difficult to control, but it can be done.

It is important to know that there are many different kinds of ants, and they each have their own preferences in food and habitat. For instance, Argentine ants like sweets; Pharaoh ants like grease; carpenter ants like wood; leafcutter ants will eat almost anything including meat or fruit.

There are a number of control measures that can be used when dealing with any type of ant infestation. Some natural substances such as diatomaceous earth will kill the insects when they crawl over it because it causes them to dehydrate by cutting through their exoskeleton. Boric acid powder is also effective at killing roaches and other insects in your home because it destroys the membrane on the outside of their bodies which causes them to dry out from inside-out!

Conclusion

As you can see, New York City ants aren’t too different from other types of ants. They have their own unique features and behaviors, but at the end of the day, they are still just ants. However, due to their large size and tendency to swarm in huge numbers, these city-dwelling insects can seem like quite a nuisance. If you feel overwhelmed by your ant problem or need help figuring out how to get rid of them for good—or if you’re just wondering how on earth such tiny creatures build such big colonies—contact us today! Our team is dedicated to helping you solve your pest problems in the most efficient ways possible.