Middleton
Ant Control

When Michel St. Cyr set up the foundational trading post on Lake Mendota’s shores, we can safely assume he was serving his best interest. Maybe he had hopes and dreams of founding a city and maybe he didn’t, but it is interesting to see how momentum can build around an individual making small trades. Coincidentally, this is exactly the kind of exchange that builds momentum in Ant colonies. Understanding the trading post concept of ant colonies can simplify Middleton ant control efforts. 

Like Mr. Cyr, ants have intrepid explorers and scouts that go out in hunt of places to settle down and to find supplies. Supply needs will vary within the colony, but may include: 

• Fats and oils
• Sugars and carbohydrates
• Proteins

Oftentimes, these are cracks and crevices within our homes and businesses where small amounts of food collect unnoticed. This could even be oils that accumulate behind cupboards from cooking. The 1^st step in Middleton ant control must include 2 elements: 

1. Reduce potential food supply
2. Regularly monitor the premises for ants scouting and scurrying about

Once an ant has a good location identified, she sets to making the path efficient and well-known to the colony. She does this through: 

• Trophallaxis- as she passes other workers along the path to food, she shares a little regurgitated nibble of the food she is hauling back for the colony. Just like a toddler toting their prized lollipop, everyone wants a sucker of their own. Motivation is no longer an issue. 
• Pheromone trails – while it seems like ants are just focused on the rear end of the ant ahead of them, they actually navigate by following pheromones. This is a chemical trail that their antennae can sense guiding them on their way. If you see trailing ants, you can swipe a string of saliva across their trail and see them scatter about for a while until they get their pheromone trail reestablished. 

Middleton ant control can take advantage of both of these functions of ants. By placing the right baits out at the right time of year, ants will do the work of hauling their demise back to the colony for us. Additionally, some products designed for efficient Middleton ant control have high transfer effects that will spread throughout the colony as they bump up against each other going in and out of the colony and sharing food nibbles. 

Just like the establishment of Middleton centered around the founding chap’s efforts, the survival of the ant colony is centered around the queen. She sets up a home base for all of her offspring and calls the shots from deep within the colony. In order for Middleton ant control to be effective, the queen (or queens – some species of ants have hundreds of queens per colony) needs taken out. As long as she is there, she can rebuild and continue to be a pest. So put away the gasoline and matches. Middleton ant control needs to be dialed in and focused on ants and their behavior. 

Ants are persistent and show up where we least want them when we least expect them. Don’t wait until ants are driving you to do the Boogey dance. Whether you are dealing with carpenter ants, acrobat ants, or little black ants, turn the ant trade over to the experts at Rove Pest Control and let your Middleton ant control woes drift away into carefree joy.