Ants are the tiny bugs we pay no attention to until they suddenly show up en masse. How are such small creatures capable of such incredible feats? Known for their diligence, teamwork, and almighty strength, they are not as insignificant as they appear.
It’s impressive just how quickly they can assimilate with one another and build their homes, regardless of location. What’s not so impressive is when this begins to happen in your home or business. As if they appear out of thin air, ants have the not-so-magic ability to make their grand presence known in a very short period. As homeowners, this can feel overwhelming and even spark anxiety.
Luckily, we’re skilled in removing them and ensuring they will no longer be taking residency in your home. But how exactly do they find their way in, and so quickly?
Little Bugs With Massive Skills
Ants embody resiliency in its fullest form. They’re multi-faceted creatures with a wide range of abilities, one of them being that they leave a pheromone trail when foraging and building, which allows their fellow ant friends to follow their scent. Because of this, they can gather and build so quickly and efficiently.
They’re also an incredibly social species, so they rely on communication with their peers to get the job done. Speaking of communication, did you know that ants “hear” through vibrations in the ground, using their feet? They technically cannot hear sounds and rely entirely on feeling those vibrations to communicate with one another.
Some, like the leaf cutter, can lift up to 50 times their body weight, explaining why they can efficiently build their nests. Being able to forage for larger supplies helps them construct their home rather quickly.
Resilient Little Buggers
It is estimated that for each one of us, there are roughly 1.4 million ants, with a cumulative weight of 88 billion pounds. That's almost 10lbs of ant per person. It’s no wonder we have such a hard time removing them from our space. Not only are their populations somewhat overwhelming, but they’re also able to swim. Water is no match for ants as they can confidently navigate their way to safety.
Believe it or not, they’re also able to “raise” other species of bugs and farm them, including aphids, scale bugs, and mealybugs, the same way humans do to cows and pigs. It’s safe to say ants have this whole thing figured out, and they spare nothing in their path. Army Ants of South America eat anything that gets in their way. Despite their size, they can easily conquer their challenges.
Most impressively, queens can live several years and have millions of babies. Although the tenacity and resiliency ants display are more than impressive, we understand that you’d rather appreciate these bugs from afar.
If you’ve found yourself the victim of these pesky little insects, fear not. Our team of skilled experts at Bluffton Pest Management knows exactly how to rectify an ant infestation just as quickly as it started. For more information and assistance, call (843) 540-3641 today. We are the most-trusted name in pest control in Bluffton and the Low Country.
