DA Exterminating Co., Inc. | 4440 Wabash Street Metairie, LA 70001
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DA Exterminating Co. of St. Tammany, Inc. | 13433 Seymour Myers Blvd., Ste 2 Covington, LA 70433
📞(985) 893-2071
DA Exterminating Co. of Houma, Inc. | 202 Enterprise Dr. Houma, LA 70360
📞(985) 872-0368
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That's What She Said
Admin • May 30, 2018
A DA reporter has recently had the opportunity to do an actual interview with one of the most troublesome ants in existence – the thief ant. Here’s the transcript of our interview with Antie.
DA: So you’re known as a thief ant. Does that mean you’re a convicted felon who has spent time in the slammer?
Ant: Yes, I am a thief ant. You’ve got to be kidding! Just because my name is “thief” ant doesn’t mean I’ve spent time in ant jail! I know a guy named Woolweaver but he doesn’t weave wool! Geez! We get our name from our habit of nesting close to other ant nests from which we steal food. But we’ve avoided the ant police so far!
DA: What’s your favorite food, Antie?
Ant: Unlike most other ants, we prefer something greasy like a potato chip or other greasy things in a kitchen. When the lady of the house spills something greasy, that’s a banquet for us. But we also feast on sweets as well! We’re not picky!
DA: Where do you like to live?
Ant: Well, where do YOU like to live, smarty? We like the exact same environment that you do – one with lots of food and water.
DA: How do you get into homes?
Ant: We thief ants enter structures through cracks in the foundation or small openings in woodwork. We forage in trails throughout a structure seeking protein, sweets and liquid. We’re smaller than most other ants, so we can squeeze through the tiniest opening!
DA: You look a lot like other ants. What’s the difference between the way you look and the way your cousins look?
Ant: Not that you’re going to check, but we thief ants have tinier eyes than most other ants and we’re lighter in color. And we think we are beautiful! In fact, we’ve entered our most lovely specimen in the 2018 Miss Beautiful Ant contest.
DA: In all ant colonies, there is a queen. What’s your queen’s name and is there a king?
Ant: We’re not like other ants, really we’re not! We can have more than one queen and NO, there is no king! Our colony has 3 queens, Irene and Arlene are OK but that last one is a real pain in the @#$%! Ilene brags about the number of eggs she lays. . . like we care!
DA: We’ve heard that ants are extremely strong. Is that right?
Ant: You betcha! We can lift 50 times our own weight, and that’s without going to the gym!
DA: Do you actually communicate with other ants?
Ant: Well, we don’t chatter like people do, but we communicate, and we’re very good at it. We use chemicals, vibrations and touch to communicate with individuals and/or the entire colony. Communication is not the problem for us that it is for you crazy humans.
Call DA Exterminating at 800-650-PEST!
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Always proud to be a member of PCT Magazine’s “Top 100” companies ( by annual revenue) in America. This is Ed, Jed and me accepting the award in Orlando the other night. Thanks to our wonderful DA team at all 3 DA branches and our loyal customers, it takes everyone to achieve success! (David Cherry, our longtime GM in Houma, left before we grabbed this photo…sorry David!) — Chris Caire, Jed, and Ed Reynolds.
One noticeable change in the outdoors as winter approaches is the reduction of flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies, and bees.
When the holidays come to an end, it will be time to store the trees and decorations until Christmas 2019. Safeguard all of your favorite holiday decorations so they are free of pests while sitting in the attic, basement or other storage space until the holiday season comes around next year. Christmas decorations provide harborage and, in some cases, food for various kinds of pests, especially rodents. So we have assembled some decoration storage tips to prevent surprises next year when you open your decoration containers. to seal them in plastic containers if you must save these from 1) Dried berries, seeds and other natural materials are especially attractive to mice. The best idea is to seal them in plastic containers. Discard natural decorations after using each year including real gingerbread houses, candy canes and natural wreaths. 2) Cardboard can be a favorite nesting material for rodents, so don’t store artificial Christmas trees in cardboard; instead, use plastic sealable bags or containers. That goes for all other Christmas decorations. 3) Examine all decorations for any that are broken or that you won't use next year and discard them. 4) Wash linens and other fabrics and store in sealed plastic bags to prevent moisture. 5) Before loading containers into a garage, basement, attic or other storage area, examine them and clean thoroughly to remove any debris that may be harborage areas for mice. 6) Store holiday candles separately. The scent from a candle can attract unwanted guests. Placing the candles in an area that is not exposed to extreme heat (e.g., attics or sheds) will resolve this problem. Wrap candles in plastic to prevent them from melting together or transferring color in warm conditions. If you follow these tips to properly pack and store your decorations, not only will you be more organized for Christmas 2019, but you will reduce the possibility of pests trying to share next year's holiday with you! To get more information on pest control services in New Orleans, contact the experts at DA Exterminating today by calling 800-650-PEST . Wishing you and your family a pest-free New Year!
DA Exterminating is proud to present these easy pest prevention tips to keep pests from taking up residence in your New Orleans-area home.
The time it takes to check your home before winter arrives will pay off in preventing pest problems. Here are five things you can do!
Most spiders are fairly harmless but for those who do not want these eight-legged critters to share their life space, here are some tips
Two poisonous spiders explained.
t’s that time of year when certain pests seek a warm place to overwinter and this usually means YOUR HOME! We’ve assembled some tips to prevent these critters from moving in with you. Vacuuming is the best way to eliminate the insects once they are inside. Before the winter months approach, seal gaps around windows and doors, including garage doors. The best time for this is during the summer after pests have left their overwintering site, and before they come back for the next season. Look for areas where pipes and electrical or cable lines enter the building. Gaps around these areas should be sealed. Look for openings around soffits, eaves, attic fans, windows and vents in the attic used for ventilation. Many times these areas are not screened, allowing overwintering pests inside. Be sure screens on windows are in good repair and have no openings. Inspect chimneys. Be sure the damper is closed when not in use, and know that if you’re dealing with a wood-burning fireplace, lighting a fire may discourage the insects from using the chimney as an entry point. Tell customers that using “bug bombs” to treat the inside of a house can backfire — they may end up with dead insects still inside the walls, which then attract secondary pests, such as carpet beetles. Concerned about Fall Invaders? Call us today. 800-650-PEST .
Contact Information
DA Exterminating Co. of St. Tammany, Inc.
13433 Seymour Myers Blvd., Ste 2 Covington, LA 70433
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