Surprising Correlations between Shrub Maintenance and Ant Infestations

July 20th, 2016

As a resident of Florida, you know that the state’s geography and climate lead to certain unique traits compared to the rest of the country. The population of crocodiles and alligators, for example, or the warm, sunny weather throughout December and January. Unfortunately, one of the other unique, if unwanted, characteristics of Florida is the state’s many species of ants that have the ability to infest your home.

The ants in Florida can range from the Acrobat Ant and the Argentine Ant to the Carpenter Ant, Ghost Ant and Small Honey Ant. Despite their diverse names, nearly all of the ants in Florida actually originate in the trees and shrubbery around the perimeter of your home. It can be so frustrating to realize that the landscaping you cherish and work so hard to maintain is actually contributing to your ant problem. But it’s not a hopeless situation!

Contrary to popular belief, the ants do not cause damage to your trees and shrubs! That’s a huge relief. In fact, the ants don’t even so much as use them as a source of food. Instead, they feed on a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew that other insects like aphids secrete and leave on tree and shrub surfaces. So what are you to do?

First of all, it’s very important to keep all of your vegetation trimmed back and away from your house. When trees and shrubs sit too close to your home, the ants assume that your house and the inside of your walls are simply extensions of the shrubbery in your yard. This leads them to expand their colony into your home, which is the last thing that you want.

It is also recommended that you have your shrubs professionally treated by a pest maintenance company in order to eliminate damaging insects and in turn minimize the number of ants feeding off the trees and shrubs on your property.