When you think of ants, you likely think of them as a nuisance to keep away from the food if you're on a picnic. However, different species of ants cause different problems, which is why it's important to understand which ant has invaded your Waldorf home.
The most common species you'll find are:
- Acrobat Ants: As their name implies, they are highly flexible with the ability to raise their abdomen over their thorax and head. This usually occurs when they're disturbed. You'll notice them enter through wires, utility lines, and pipes.
- Carpenter Ants: One of the largest ants, this one is black in color and is infamous for its ability to cause property damage due to their habit of nesting within pieces of wood. This can lead to compromises in your property's structural integrity.
- Odorous House Ant: This ant invades homes at will and is so common as to be ignored. They can contaminate food and emit a rotting coconut smell when crushed.
- Pharaoh Ants: These ants live in extensive colonies together and are yellow or light brown in color. Their sheer numbers are where the most headaches stem from for property owners.
Preventing An Attraction
The key to managing or preventing any kind of ant infestation is to prevent the ants from being attracted to your property in the first place. As a rule, ants like to get into your food, trash, and be near accessible water. For this reason, the first place to start is a deep clean. Deep cleaning is an excellent first step because it ensures you remove any crumbs or debris nearby. Wipe the counters down, sweep and vacuum the floors, and be sure to clean out the cupboards and under major appliances to ensure you're thorough. Some other things you can do to prevent the attraction:
- Food Storage: Food needs to be put away when not in use. This also means storing fruits and veggies in the fridge instead of on the counter. Don't forget that sugary substances of any kind are highly attractive to ants so make sure to limit how long they're out in the open.
- Check The Water Sources: Leaks and standing pools of water will attract ants no matter what, which is why it's necessary to regularly inspect the property for this sign to stay on top of future problems.
The final attraction point is one you likely don't think about until it's already too late. Ants come inside sometimes just because they can. They get in through entry points like cracks along the foundation or tiny holes around pipes. For this reason, sealing up these entry points, especially along windowsills and doorways, with silicone caulk is key to keeping the ants away from your property.
Prevent Ant Infestations With Mike's Pest and Termite Control
Between everything you have going on week in and week out and the complexity involved with proper ant control, you don't have time to give the task of ant prevention the effort it needs. That's why our team at Mike's Pest and Termite is the best way to become and stay ant-free. We offer a variety of services that eliminate active infestations and prevent new ones. More importantly, our treatments keep your family's health and safety in mind, so you don't need to worry about anything other than becoming ant-free when treatment begins.
Are you in need of ant prevention services? Just give our team at Mike's Pest and Termite Control a call to get the process to an ant-free home started. Don't wait any longer to get the peace of mind you deserve!