Tips To Preventing & Eliminating Your Ant Invasion
It’s that time of year again: ant season. While ants can be active all throughout the year, you’re most likely to notice them in the spring and summer. These pesky critters are notorious for invading your home quickly—usually before you even get the chance to notice! In this blog, we cover how to prevent ants from invading your home, and what to do if you come across an ant invasion. Just like any other pest, ants can cause some serious issues for your home. We hope that our expert advice helps keep your home ant-free, all year long. Okay, we know the ant-icipation must be killing you! So let’s get started.
5 Steps To Preventing A Potential Ant Invasion
1. Clean the Kitchen
The first, and probably most well-known ant prevention method is to keep your house clean. Most ants that come into your home are looking for food, so the harder you make it for them to find, the less they will want to stick around. Start by paying attention to your trash. Remove garbage from the premises as soon as possible. It’s important to empty your trash bin regularly, indoors and out. Besides, outdoor trash may attract more pests than just ants, so you could end up with a larger problem on your hands! Next, double check crevices and cabinets for crumbs or open containers, and make a habit of wiping down the countertops. Remember to vacuum often, paying close attention to the baseboards, behind furniture and appliances, as well as other areas you might typically miss. It’s easy for crumbs to hide in these areas, allowing ants quick (and hidden) access to your home.
2. Eliminate Standing Water
Ants are attracted to moisture, so make it a part of your routine to spot check for water pools or leaky faucets. Carpenter ants especially are attracted to damp wood, which is often the result of a water leak. If you have spotted a water leak, or any wet wood, replace or remove it as soon as possible. Expert Advice: Standing water is a threat to your home for multiple reasons. Not only will it attract ants, but also other pests such as termites and mosquitoes. Additionally, when left untreated, standing water can foster mold and mildew growth. Check in and around your home frequently for standing water, especially after a heavy rain.
3. Check Walls for Cracks
Ants can’t invade your house without a passageway. Make sure that there are no cracks or little openings around the bottom of your house where ants could potentially creep in. Also, check around window sills and doorways for ant trails. Faulty or worn out weather strips are a common entry point for ants, so examine these closely for damage.
4. Keep Wood Away From Your House
Like we said earlier, carpenter ants love wet wood, or really any wood actually. Make sure that firewood and building materials are not stored right next to your home. These wood stacks are used for ants to build nests—and you don’t want these pests for neighbors.
5. Watch Out for Branches
Just like wood stacks, keep tree branches and other plants cut back from your house. These wood branches are like natural bridges for ants (and other pests and wildlife) to get in your home. If you do have a lot of trees and plants, make sure they are trimmed and clean to make it less appealing to these pests. Keeping your trees and bushes maintained not only amps up your curb appeal, but also protects your home against a potential ant invasion. While these five tips should help you prevent an ant invasion, what should you do if ants have already invaded? Let’s find out!
Why Pest Control Is Necessary For Eliminating (And Preventing) An Ant Invasion
There are quite a few reasons you should always consult with a pest control specialist before attempting to eliminate ants on your own. When it comes to an ant invasion, a pest expert can:
Identify The Species of Ant
There are nine different ant species that commonly invade our homes:
- Acrobat Ants
- Argentine Ants
- Odorous House Ants
- Carpenter Ants
- Crazy Ants
- Pavement Ants
- Fire Ants
- Field Ants
- Pharaoh Ants
Identifying the species of ant that has invaded your home is key to treating the problem. As we mentioned before, carpenter ants are attracted to wood, unlike black ants that simply search for food. Each of these ant species will require specific treatment that can only be provided by an expert! When you understand the species, it becomes that much easier to locate and eliminate an ant colony.
Determine Where The Ants Are Coming From
Speaking of locating an ant colony, a pest expert will be able to quickly determine where ants are coming from. Unfortunately, your home may be a haven for ant colonies, or a flying ant may have decided to set up shop in one of the crevices of your home. While you can’t control when and where ants decide to colonize, your pest control expert can help identify the source of the problem. Since ants are so small, it’s easy for them to go unnoticed while colonizing. Understanding the habits of ants is key to locating them, and your local pest professional will be able to do just that! You could spend an entire day attempting to locate an ant colony, but without understanding what you’re up against, you’re likely to come up empty handed.
Prevent Future Ants From Invading
Over-the-counter ant sprays may keep ants at bay at first, but it won’t eliminate them completely. Sprays are effective at killing ants, there’s no doubt about that! However, these generic treatments offer no long-lasting home protection. Not to mention that the chemicals in these sprays aren’t always safe for you and your family. When ants are treated professionally, your home receives the protection it needs. Not only will the ant colony be eliminated, but also your home will be treated with a protective barrier that is meant to last. This will help prevent a future ant invasion, keeping you and your family safe against these pests!
Re-treat For Ants If Necessary
Some ants are much harder to eliminate than others, and will require additional treatments before being completely eliminated. When this is the case, you’re only option is to trust the professionals! At Killingsworth, our team is thoroughly educated on the ants that threaten your home. We know what they are, where they might be hiding and how to prevent them from invading your home. With over 26 years of expert pest control experience, we know a thing or two about ant invasions! If you’re struggling with ants, or searching to protect your home against these pests, schedule a service with us. We’ll work with you to determine a pest control plan that works for you—and safeguards your home from other pests, too!
