Jump To Section
Learn From The Pro's
Ants are an exceedingly prominent species found everywhere but Antarctica. They’re drawn to New Jersey’s varied geography, climate, and dense population. Although tiny, these insects are mighty and evolutionarily geared to find food and shelter with ease.
How Many Ants Are In the World?
It’s easy to forget that ants are individual creatures; one look at the soda spill in your garage and you might assume these insects only come in piles. In fact, ant colonies are among the largest in the animal kingdom, with documented numbers reaching into the billions. All of this begs the question: how many ants are in the world? The answer: a lot!
While it’s impossible to answer this with data, as there are no ants armed with tiny clipboards going from colony to colony to note the population of each household and collect a census, science can make an educated guess: estimating that there are somewhere around 20 quadrillion ants on the planet. With 8.3 billion humans, ants dominate the ratio; there are 2.5 million ants for every one person. These ants come in all kinds of varieties, with 14,000 known species (and probably many more undiscovered).Â
Ants are found all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica. Places with the highest population include the Amazon Basin, Central America’s rainforests, African tropical rainforests, and Southeast Asian rainforests.Â
Stateside, New Jersey has one of the highest ant densities in the Northeast, with its climate, soil, humidity, and compact population drawing a mix of species. New Jersey also offers geographic diversity, which makes it appealing to ants seeking different things. Its hardwood forests attract carpenter ants, while its suburban neighborhoods attract pavement ants and odorous house ants (although carpenter ants have rarely found a residential deck they won’t chew through).
The Planet’s Largest Ant Colony
Although it might be impossible to know just how many ants are in the world, impressive colonies are more easily trackable. The largest on record is the Argentine ant supercolony; it spans 3,700 miles across Europe and contains millions of nests, each housing thousands of individuals, for a total of billions of ants.
Argentine ants are known for their cooperative nature and networking skills; they regularly form supercolonies that link multiple individuals, working together rather than battling each other over territory. They regard one another as family, even if they originally come from different colonies.Â
Argentine ants also breed differently from other species, allowing them to maintain their supercolony rather than start a satellite colony elsewhere. The supercolony has multiple queens who share the monarchy and work together. When it comes time to breed, they don’t fly off in search of mates (as most ants do); instead, they breed inside the network of nests, allowing the supercolony to expand. Without this breeding system, colonies would grow stagnant; with it, the sky’s the limit.Â
Interestingly, the Argentine ant colony isn’t just a giant ant pile. It’s a network of nests hidden in urban crevices, soil chambers, cracks in stone, and subterranean tunnels. To the naked eye, it’s hidden underneath what appears to be regular forests, farms, and cities.
Even so, there are telltale patterns that a supercolony exists. Indications include vegetation stress patterns, soil anomalies, moisture-linked expansion, ant-driven ecological structures, all spread along roads, shipping corridors, and suburbs.
Common Ant Species
Not all ant species exist everywhere. Bullet ants, an ant species infamous for having the most painful sting on Earth, are native to South America . . . not New Jersey. But the Garden State has its fair share of six-legged trespassers.
The most common ants on the East Coast include pavement ants and odorous house ants. Pavement ants nest under concrete; they’re found beneath sidewalks, driveways, and foundations. Odorous house ants frequently enter homes, emitting rotten coconut odors when squished.Â
Carpenter ants are also widespread New Jersey pests and annoyingly destructive. Like carpenter bees, carpenter ants excavate wood, digging tiny tunnels for their larvae. Over time, this causes structural damage in decks, fences, wooden playgrounds, joists, window sills, and wall studs.
Acrobat ants are found in damp wood and insulation. They’re small, quick, and moisture-loving; they favor rotting wood and invade homes with moisture issues. They’re also attracted to old termite and carpenter ant galleries and move into abandoned tunnels or nest in wall voids, window frames, or insulation. They show off their flexibility and athleticism when threatened, lifting their heart-shaped abdomens in a reverse-downward-dog-like position that resembles scorpions.Â
Pharaoh ants are tiny and yellowish-brown; they nest in warm indoor spaces, have multiple queens, and split into new colonies. They’re found in houses and apartments, but they’re also a major pest in restaurants, commercial facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals (posing a substantial contamination threat).
Keeping Ants Away From Your Home
Keeping ants away from the home requires two things: sealing off access points and reducing attractants.
To close off access:
- Caulk cracksÂ
- Seal utility areas
- Add door sweeps
- Repair window screens
- Keep doors shut
To reduce attractants:
- Clean up spills and food residue right away
- Wipe down the kitchen counter regularly, especially near the sugar bowl
- Repair leaks (which ants can use as watering holes)
- Trim back the vegetation touching your home (as this gives ants a place to hide)
- Store food in airtight containers
We Have the Ant-idote!
If ants have invaded your home or property, we’ve got the antidote. We have extensive experience in dealing with ant species across New Jersey. Offering same-day appointments, we use fast-acting, eco-friendly, and family-safe options, and design custom plans to make sure pests stay gone for good. Contact us for all the details!