Should I Be Worried About Leafcutter Ants On My New Braunfels Property?

Leafcutter ants are exclusive pests to Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and some parts of southern California. These pests love the warm weather but are not fond of the heat. During the most blistering time of summer days, these pests take shelter inside their nests and cover entrances with soil and debris to conserve moisture levels. If you are interested to learn more about leafcutter ants and other common ants in New Braunfels, here are some things to think about today.

The Types Of Ants That Invade New Braunfels Properties

Leafcutter ants are not the only type of ant here in New Braunfels. Other common species are carpenter ants, fire ants, crazy ants, odorous house ants, and acrobat ants.

One common question we get is how do ants get in your house? Most area species invade by crawling in through gaps, cracks, and other openings in exterior foundational blocks and around window/door frames. The carpenter ant, in particular, chews its nest into the structural wood of homes and then invades living areas through entrance holes.

Some species in our area rarely invade homes but cause a lot of problems outdoors. The fire ant is a good example of this. This pest lives in large social colonies and has the ability to bite and sting to scare off predators and kill prey. 

The Problems Leafcutter Ants Can Cause On Your Property

Leafcutter ants are not dangerous pests. They do not bite or sting and are not known for spreading any forms of harmful bacteria or disease-causing organisms. However, these pests are destructive to landscape plants, agricultural crops, and gardens.

The damage these pests cause to plant growth becomes exponentially worse as colonies grow on properties. Some colonies of leafcutter ants have over two million members and just a single queen. It is not uncommon for colonies to form next to one another and for them to work together, feeding on plant growth nearby. If not treated, the nests of these pests will continue to grow for a long time.

How Long Do Leafcutter Ants Live?

Despite only having one queen per colony, leafcutter nests can grow to have millions of members. This, of course, does not happen overnight. A queen leafcutter ant is able to lay roughly 20 eggs per minute. That comes out to 28,800 eggs a day, and over 10,512,000 eggs a year. In addition to this, a queen has a lifespan of sometimes more than 20 years. That is a lot of time to make new eggs, expand her colony, and promote destruction to surrounding areas.

Five Natural Ways To Keep Leafcutter Ants Away From Your Property

If you are looking for how to prevent ants or how to get rid of ants on your New Braunfels property, you are in the right place. In order to combat destructive species like leafcutter ants, you need the help of a professional. At Gold Start Exterminators, we offer incredible options to help members of our community find freedom from annoying, dangerous, and destructive insects like ants.

With just one visit, we will identify problems on your property, assess your home’s risk of invasion, and put in place fast-working home pest control treatments to address any infestation we find. After this, your team will apply a long-lasting defensive barrier around your home’s exterior. This barrier will last for several months and can be re-applied throughout the year to provide full protection against pests like ants.

Call today to learn more about pest control in New Braunfels and find an ant pest control plan that best solves your current problems.