Understanding Big-Headed Ants

Big-headed ants are common in Central Virginia. Learn more about them and how they may impact your property.

While originally hitching rides to the United States on trade ships, big-headed ants are now prolific in the Southern United States, and are often found in Central Virginia. They can, and do, cause issues for homeowners in the Richmond area.

What Do Big-Headed Ants Look Like?

What Problems Do Big-Headed Ants Cause?

How Can I Keep Big-Headed Ants Off My Property?

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What Do Big-Headed Ants Look Like?

As their name suggests, major workers of this ant species have disproportionately large heads, often even wider than their abdomen. They are small, between one eighth and one sixteenth of an inch, depending on the class. They have six legs, 2 antennae, and a two-lobed body. BHA are reddish-brown or light brown in color. The like to nest in soil or decomposing organic debris, such as tree stumps, piles of leaves, or wood piles.

BHA mate in the summer and experience population explosions, being able to go from a single queen to a colony of hundreds of workers in just a few months. They are high-energy and react quickly to threats or to discovery of food.

What Problems Do Big-Headed Ants Cause?

Big-headed ants (BHA) are not a direct danger to humans. They rarely bite, and if they do it's painless. They also don't generally like to invade structures, so the inside of your house is pretty safe from infestation. However, BHA can cause serious issues to both your yard and to your home.

Because BHA colonize in the disturbed soil around structures and the debris in yards, they can cause several issues. First, they are known to chew on cabling and wires. This includes damaging electrical wires, irrigation systems and internet cables. Not only does this cause potential power outages, internet issues, and broken irrigation systems, the damage to these wires and their protective insulation can create serious fire hazards around and under your home. BHA are also drawn to the heat created around these systems, nesting inside the protective tubing and causing further potential issues with outages.

Additionally, BHA will infest the soil under your yard or garden. They will make nests large enough to create visible dirt mounds, and can dislodge roots, killing the grass or plants above. Due to their rapid colonization, significant damage can occur in a short period of time.

How Can I Keep Big-Headed Ants Off My Property?

Keeping the ants out is much easier than getting them out after they've infested your property. Remove areas they would be drawn to, such as leaf piles, rotting wood, excessive or lingering moisture, and other organic waste. Keep your lawn and garden tidy and healthy. Additionally, seal up any cracks and especially around wire and cable entry points. While they usually stay outdoors, it is not uncommon to get an infestation inside your home.

If you find yourself facing an issue with BHA, insecticide is the best defense. Spraying your foundations year-round and your yard during the months when warm days will allow insects to be active (usually March to November for Richmond) will help keep scouting insects from sending work back for colonization. Additionally, insecticide can help reduce populations of BHA that have already taken hold. Once the infestation is managed, make sure to repair your turf by re-leveling it and seeding in the spots where the grass stopped growing.

We're always excited to help new customers retake their yard as a comfortable and healthy space. Give us a call today to see how we can help you!

For even more information on local Central Virginia pests, check out our pest library and other blog posts