Social - July 2002

Insects invade area homes and businesses

By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer

July 19, 2002 - They creep in quietly, invading homes and businesses.

Individually, they seem harmless. But these tiny invaders travel in packs and take over.

Ants are here, and they’re thirsty.

“I think a lot of it has got to do with the ants looking for water,” says Kevin Starr, county extension director.

Starr speculates the drought made conditions unfavorable outside, causing colonies of ants to seek moisture indoors.

He has seen hundreds of ants in his garden, hovering around plants that have been recently watered.

“A lot of it is coming from it being so dry,” says Gary Ward, owner of Bugg Busters, Inc. “Everybody is having them in their houses and around their garbage can.”

Ward says one particular species of ants has been particularly active — Argentine ants. These tiny insects travel with a colony, foraging for food and moisture and often bite when threatened.

“Ants have become a major problem,” Ward says. “It’s been progressively worse over the last three years.”

Once in the home, the colonies seem to multiply. Unfortunately, spraying areas can often result in the colonies dividing, worsening the problem.

Ward says it is important to find out where the ants are coming from.

He advises checking homes and businesses for entry points — cracks and crevices in the building’s structure and around windows.

He says exterminators use “bait” to attract the ants to poison. And it’s all in the location.

“The key is knowing where to put it.”

Ward says many people have their yards and homes treated several times a year to prevent such invasions. And while he can identify the colonies of Argentine ants, they’re not alone.

“We’re having about every species of ants coming out.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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