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5 Things You Need To Know About White-Footed Ants

5 August 2015

Aaron Carroll

White-footed ants aren't a household name, but that doesn't mean that they're not a huge problem for homeowners. Here are five things you need to know about these ants.

What do white-footed ants look like?

White-footed ants are fairly small ants; they are about one-eighth of an inch long. Their bodies are either brown or black, and as their name suggests, the lower half of their legs is a creamy white color. This is a unique characteristic among ants, so it's the easiest way to identify white-footed ants.

Are white-footed ants found in every state?

White-footed ants are not found throughout the United States. They're a tropical ant, originally from Madagascar, and they were first seen in the United States in 1986 when they appeared in Florida. Since then, they've spread to the nearby states of South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Oklahoma. They've also been introduced to Hawaii.

In the colder northern states, these ants can't survive outside, but they can live in warm, indoor places like greenhouses or well-heated homes.

Do they infest houses?

White-footed ants prefer to live in moist places that are close to a food source, and if your house fits that description, you could end up with an infestation. You may find them living in moist areas of your home, like your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room. They can also be found living inside wall voids or in attics.

How do you get rid of them?

White-footed ants live in very large colonies of up to three million ants, and frighteningly, as many as one-third of them can reproduce, so getting rid of these ants can be very challenging. They reproduce quickly and may form satellite colonies in other areas of your house.

These ants don't bring back food to their colony like other ant species do, so ant baits will only kill individual ants, not the entire colony. You need to locate the colony and spray the nearby area with insecticides. These insecticides will kill ants that enter or leave the colony and will prevent the formation of new colonies.

Residual dust pesticides can be an effective way to kill ants that are in hard-to-reach places; this dust should be applied inside cracks and crevices where ants are hiding. Dust needs to be applied with a hand duster; you can buy a hand duster from hardware stores if you want to try to do it yourself, or you can hire a pest control company to perform the application.

Can you prevent an infestation?

Preventing an infestation is easier than trying to get rid of a massive colony, so prevention should be your goal. First, seal any gaps in the exterior of your home, like underneath doors, around windows, and in your foundation. You need to seal every gap you can find, even ones that seem insignificant, since white-footed ants are tiny and can slip through very small openings.

Next, get rid of excess moisture in your home like leaky pipes or faucets. White-footed ants prefer to live near moisture, and if your house doesn't provide this moisture, they'll need to live somewhere else.

Finally, try to keep your kitchen as spotless as possible. They like to eat sweet liquids, so make sure to wipe down your kitchen counters and mop your floors to get rid of any sweet spills that could attract these ants. Hide any sweet foods in the fridge or in glass containers with tight-fitting lids.

White-footed ants are very challenging to get rid of, so if you can't deal with the infestation by yourself, don't feel bad. Call a local pest control company like Ace Walco & Sons Termite & Pest Control to get rid of the problem for you.

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