Silver Bullet Pest ControlLittle piles of sand in the driveway cracks, ants marching across the kitchen floor from under the slab, or trails along the foundation that come back no matter how much you spray? Silver Bullet Pest Control serves East Hanover for pavement ants and Argentine ants. We identify which one you have and treat it the way that species needs.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Serving Morris County by appointment • Hablamos español
Text a close-up photo of one ant (next to a coin helps) to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you what it is.
Pavement ants are controlled by treating the colony under the slab, driveway or patio, not just the ants you see, usually with a slow-acting bait the workers carry back to the nest plus sealing the cracks they use to get inside. Silver Bullet Pest Control serves East Hanover by appointment from our base in Garfield; we identify the ant (pavement ants and Argentine ants need different approaches), find where they enter, and treat the source. NJ License 90568B, 4.9 stars on Google, free quotes. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Small brown and black ants look alike, but these three behave very differently:
Pavement ants nest in the soil under slabs, patios, walkways and driveways. Workers forage inside for crumbs, grease, pet food and sweets. You'll often see them in kitchens and basements that sit on a slab, and sometimes in winter, when the heated floor keeps the colony active.
Argentine ants form enormous colonies with many queens and nest shallowly in mulch, under stones and along foundations. They follow wet weather and food into the house. Store sprays tend to split the colony and make the problem bigger.
If your ants are big, it's probably carpenter ants, which nest in damp or damaged wood. They need a different treatment and can hollow out wood over time. Tell us and we'll check where they're nesting.
| Pavement ants | Argentine ants | |
|---|---|---|
| Size & color | Small, dark brown to blackish | Tiny, lighter brown |
| Where they nest | Soil under slabs, pavers, driveways and sidewalks | Shallow nests in mulch, leaf litter, under stones and along foundations |
| Sign outside | Sand piles in cracks and between pavers | Wide, busy trails along walls, fences and pipes |
| Sign inside | Ants coming up from floor cracks, garage and basement | Long trails across counters, often from a window or door frame |
| Colony | One queen, many colonies in a yard | Many queens; colonies link up across properties |
| What makes it worse | Cracked concrete, food left out | Moisture, aphids on plants, and repellent sprays |
Can't tell? A clear photo of one ant and its trail is usually enough for us to identify it.
East Hanover is mostly single-family homes — many post-war ranches, split-levels and colonials — with attached garages, concrete driveways, patios and walkways. The town runs along Route 10 and sits on the Passaic River side of Morris County. All that concrete is exactly what pavement ants want to live under: the soil stays warm and protected, and every crack is a door.
You can kill every ant on the floor and still have thousands under the concrete. That's why the colony, not the trail, is the target.
Argentine ants are a newer problem in parts of North Jersey and they catch homeowners off guard because nothing from the hardware store seems to work. Each colony has many queens, and nests link together, so what looks like one trail can be fed by several nests along the foundation and in the beds.
When a repellent spray hits the trail, the ants don't die off as a colony — they avoid the treated spot, and the colony can split into new nests nearby. A week later you have trails in two new rooms.
We confirm the species — pavement, Argentine, odorous house, carpenter or something else. The wrong guess means the wrong treatment.
We follow the ants inside and out to find where they nest and where they enter: slab cracks, door thresholds, window frames, pipes, mulch beds.
We choose products for that species and the spot, usually slow-acting baits the workers carry back to the nest, with targeted treatment at entry points and outside where needed.
We show you the cracks and gaps to seal and the conditions to change, and follow up if activity continues.
East Hanover visits are scheduled ahead. Ants are a nuisance more than an emergency, so a visit within a few days works for nearly every call.
Clean trails with soapy water instead of insect spray. It removes the scent trail without scattering the colony.
Store sugar, cereal and pet food in sealed containers and pick up pet bowls at night. Pavement ants love grease, so wipe the stovetop and the floor under the toaster.
Keep mulch and plants several inches from the foundation, and keep firewood and stones off the wall where Argentine ants nest.
Fix dripping hose bibs and point downspouts away from the house. Both ant species follow moisture.
No. Pavement ants and Argentine ants don't eat or tunnel into wood, and they don't harm the structure of your home. The worst pavement ants usually do is push sand out from under pavers and walkway joints, which can leave stones uneven over time. The real trouble is ants in food, on counters and in your kids' rooms.
Carpenter ants are different. They nest in wood that's been softened by leaks and hollow it out to make room. If we find carpenter ants in your house, we treat the nest and, where wood has been damaged, our crew can repair it the same way we repair termite damage. Swarms of winged insects in spring could also be termites — if you see wings, text us a photo.
Quotes are free. These change the size of the job:
| Factor | Smaller job | Bigger job |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Pavement ants in one area | Argentine ants with many linked nests |
| Spread | One room or the garage | Several rooms or floors |
| Outside | A few cracks along one side | Trails around the whole foundation and beds |
| Conditions | Dry, sealed slab | Moisture, heavy mulch, many cracks |
| Follow-up | One visit | Return visit to check and re-treat |
Call or text 973-510-2585 with a photo of the ants and where you see them.
Send a photo of the ants and tell us where they show up. We'll set up a visit time that works for you.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Treat the colony under the concrete, not the ants on the floor, and seal the cracks they use. Slow-acting products that workers carry back to the nest work best.
Pavement ants nesting under a heated slab can stay active all winter. If you see them in January or February, the colony is likely under the house.
Yes. They've become a problem in parts of North Jersey, including some Morris County towns, and they're harder to control than native ants.
Repellent sprays can cause many-queen ants like Argentine ants to split into new nests. Wipe trails with soapy water instead and call us.
No. They don't eat wood. They can push sand out from under pavers, but they don't harm the structure.
Carpenter ants nest in damp wood and can hollow it out. We treat the nest, and our crew can repair damaged wood when needed.
Yes. We're based in Garfield and serve East Hanover and other Morris County towns by appointment.
Many pavement ant jobs need one visit; Argentine ants often need a follow-up because the colony is spread out. We tell you what to expect.
We explain where and how we treat and any precautions before we start.
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience.
Sí. Hablamos español. Mande una foto de las hormigas al 973-510-2585 y le decimos qué son.
We serve East Hanover and these towns by appointment.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
