About Ants
Maintaining a clean and tidy home is at the top of the list for any homeowner and one thing that can certainly impact that is having unwanted pests that find their way into your home. One such pest that most people have experienced is ants. Ants can quickly and quietly enter your home and spread contaminants.
Ants are communal and they form large colonies or groups. Each of these colonies is made up of male ants, queen ants, and workers. Each of these has different roles within that colony. Ants are very resilient and can flourish in various environments. There are over 13,000 different ant species in the world and over 2,000 different species within the United States.
Ways to prevent ants from coming into our homes?
Regular cleaning is one of the foremost steps you can take for preventing these pests. By not cleaning up food crumbs or sugar spills on countertops or on the floors you are creating a huge attraction for ants. Dirty and used dishes should be promptly washed and put away and not left sitting on the counter or in the sink for an extended period.
All trash cans should ideally have a sealed lid on them as this will help to restrict access by ants and other pests. You should also be sure to check under anything that has been sitting on the floor in the kitchen to make sure there is no additional food debris. Periodically, you should also move large kitchen appliances like your refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher and conduct a thorough cleaning.
Make sure you immediately solve any water problems in your house. Things like leaking faucets or pipes might be such. They can produce humidity which attracts the ants in turn.
At least once a year you should inspect the foundation of your home to look for any cracks that may have developed near the home. If you do discover these cracks you should fill the cracks with a sealant that you can purchase from any home improvement store.
You should also examine the seals around your house doors and windows when you check the foundation of your home. You are looking for any holes that may allow ants and other pests to access easily.
How to Deal with an Ant Infestation?
First, many stores carry off-the-shelf ant baits that can eliminate an infestation. These are typically placed in corners inside of your home or along the baseboards. Within these baits are a food source that attracts the worker ants, but it also contains a low dose of a chemical that will be toxic to the ants and the queen ant. The worker ants will continually bring back this food to the queen ant, effectively killing her.
If you have tried consumer do-it-yourself solutions and still have not had any success then it may be best to bring in a qualified pest control company.
Pest services have the expertise, experience to correctly assess and advise on the best way to deal with your pesticide problem. Companies of pesticide control usually have access to more efficient pesticides than the individual household can.
If you suspect that an ant infestation or other pest infestation has gotten out of control we recommend reaching out to a professional pest control company.
