Acrobat Ants Invade Home in Freehold, NJ
Challenge
Recently, I went on a service call for a homeowner in Freehold, New Jersey who was having an issue with ants getting into his home. When I arrived, the homeowner directed me to the family room where the ants were primarily seen. I then proceeded to do my inspection to determine where the ants were entering the structure and what type of ant was invading the home. After a thorough inspection, I discovered that the ants were gaining access to the home through a tiny crack in the fireplace and were trailing along the edge of the carpet. Upon closer inspection, I identified these ants as acrobat ants.
Acrobat ants are slightly longer than 1/8 of an inch and vary in color from yellowish brown to dark brown. These ants are aggressive and territorial. They have a stinger, emit a foul odor when threatened and are quick to bite. Acrobat ants are fairly easy to identify due to their distinguishing characteristic, which is a heart shape abdomen, which they throw over their thorax when disturbed. That is how they got the name of acrobat ants. Like all ants, the acrobat ants produce swarmers, which are winged, reproductive individuals that disperse in order to start new colonies. While swarmers are harmless, they are often the first indication of an infestation and the need for ant removal services.
Solution
When dealing with acrobat ants inside a home, the best treatment method is to apply a non-repellent gel product along their trail. The ants mistake this product as food and bring it back to their nest. They then transfer the product through feeding and grooming the other members of the colony, including the reproductive ant queen. In a short amount of time, the colony is eliminated. I treated along all the interior baseboards in the room and around the fireplace. Then went outside to inspect the exterior for any trailing ants. Although I didn’t find any signs of acrobat ants along the exterior, I applied a liquid non-repellent application along the underside of the shingles. Finally, I scheduled a two-week follow-up inspection to monitor the acrobat ant infestation and apply any additional treatment methods.
