Ant control in Tampa
Spraying an ant trail kills a few hundred workers and leaves a colony of tens of thousands, which is why they're back in a week. Each species in Tampa needs a different bait and a different place to look for the nest.
Ants we deal with
- Tiny pale ants along the kitchen counter and bathroom sink (ghost ants)
- Sandy mounds along the driveway, pavers and foundation (big-headed ants)
- Large black or reddish ants, sometimes with wings, near damp wood (carpenter ants)
- Dome-shaped mounds in the lawn that boil up when disturbed (fire ants)
- Ants swarming pet food bowls and the dishwasher seal
- Trails that reappear a week after you spray
Ant services
Identification
The species decides the bait and the strategy. Sugar-feeding ghost ants and protein-feeding big-headed ants don't take the same bait.
Baiting
Gel, granular and liquid baits placed on the trails so workers carry them back to the queen.
Perimeter treatment
A non-repellent exterior band so ants crossing it carry product into the colony instead of avoiding it.
Carpenter ant work
Locating the nest in damp wood, voids or a hollow door, treating it and flagging the moisture source.
Fire ant treatment
Broadcast bait across the lawn plus mound treatments, timed for when ants are foraging.
What affects the price
- Ant species and how many colonies are involved.
- Interior and exterior versus exterior only.
- Lawn size for fire ant broadcast treatments.
- Whether it's a one-time service or part of a quarterly plan.
You get the treatment plan and the price in writing before anything is applied.
Ants in Tampa Bay
Ghost ants are the number one indoor ant call in Tampa. They nest in potted plants, wall voids and under the dishwasher, split into new colonies when sprayed, and love Florida bathrooms. Big-headed ants build the sandy piles along pavers and pool decks that homeowners mistake for termite activity. Carpenter ants here are large and active at night, and they nest in wood that stays wet: window frames under leaking stucco, soffits by overflowing gutters, and the base of a lanai post. Fire ants own the lawns, and their mounds grow fastest right after the summer rains.
Common questions
Why do ants come back after I spray?
Repellent sprays kill the workers on the trail and leave the queen. Some species, including ghost ants, react to spray by splitting into several colonies.
Are the sandy piles by my pavers termites?
Usually big-headed ants. Termite pellets are tiny, uniform and six-sided; ant piles are loose sand with ants moving through them. The inspection will tell you for sure.
Do carpenter ants eat wood?
No, they hollow it out to nest in it. The damage is real, but finding the moisture problem that invited them is half the fix.
How long until fire ant mounds are gone?
Broadcast baits take one to two weeks as the colony feeds. Mound treatments act faster on the mounds you can see.
Related services
Areas we serve
Ant control across Tampa and these nearby communities: