Acrobat Ants

Acrobat ants are black to yellowish-brown in color, and some can be multi-colored. They are a small species of ant and adult workers grow to only between 1/16th and 1/8th of an inch in length. Unique to the acrobat ant is their heart-shaped abdomen. This species of ant possesses the ability to raise its abdomen up over its thorax in an acrobatic display when feeling threatened or disturbed.

Acrobat ants are considered to be nuisance pests and don’t pose any significant health risks to people or cause major damage to property. It is important to know that acrobat ants can bite people and pets if they feel threatened. Though these bites may be painful, they don’t cause any real health problems.

When acrobat ants make their home inside a home or other buildings they contaminate food sources and may also strip insulation from around wires, causing short circuits to occur. It is important to note that these ants like to nest in damp areas, and an infestation may indicate that there is a moisture problem somewhere inside your home.

Acrobat ants are found living outside, nesting in moist wood, under rocks, inside logs or tree stumps, or under fallen trees. They feed on other insects, mealybugs, and honeydew produced by aphids. While foraging for food, or if the weather becomes too dry or wet for their liking, they will move inside, usually along electrical or telephone lines, along tree limbs that make contact with the exterior of your home, or through spaces discovered in the foundation or exterior walls. Indoors, acrobat ants may make a nest in wall voids, behind baseboards, behind door and window frames, or inside insulation – especially if moisture or water damage is present.

If acrobat ants are on your property or in your home you may find lines of ants traveling along a fence line or along wires or telephone lines that enter your home. These ants are typically found foraging for food in kitchen and pantry areas, and give off a repulsive odor if they are disturbed.  Accurately identifying an ant species is difficult, so if you discover a colony of ants living in or near your home it is best to contact a professional to perform an inspection and pinpoint their exact species.

Controlling acrobat ants is a difficult job. There are many DIY products on the market, but exposure to these products can be dangerous for your family and pets if not used properly. In addition, DIY products purchased from big box stores often do not work and they certainly will not get to the root of the ant infestation – how and why they are invading your home. If you think acrobat ants have found their way into your home or business, it is important to contact a pest control company that specializes in ant control.

At A-1 Pest Control, we offer highly effective ant control services in Lenoir and throughout our North Carolina service area. By implementing a year-round home pest control program, you can quickly put a stop to your home’s acrobat ant problems and any other problems that you are experiencing with common house-infesting pests. To learn more about our highly-effective acrobat ant control solutions, contact us today!