Ants Management Services:
Are Ants Harmful to Your Home?
At first glance, an ant infestation may seem merely irritating. Left untreated, however, an infestation can
cause significant damage to your home.
The danger of the infestation depends on the type of invading ant. While they don’t cause property damage, odorous house ants (a.k.a sugar ants) love to feast on sugary
treats and find their way into food stores, ruining the food they find. Plus, they can leave your home
feeling dirty as they march around your kitchen with the rest of the colony.
Another common type of ant is the carpenter ant. This ant, however, can cause serious damage. In fact, they can be just as damaging as termites. As carpenter ants make their way through wood and foam
insulation in your walls, they’ll begin feasting. The resulting structural damage can be difficult to repair
and may also be a sign that your home has moisture problems.
While some ants are mild mannered, others are far from being the friendliest of creatures when you get
in their way. Some bite and nip at the skin, causing pain, itchiness, or rashes.
Signs of Ant Infestations
Unlike many pest infestations, ant invasions are quite easy to identify. Some of the main signs to look for
include:
- Ants in food.This is more likely to happen when you don’t seal food properly or when you leave food out.
- A colony on the move. Ants often march in lines and rarely move in isolation. If you’re seeing lines of them marching to and from your home, you may have an infestation.
- Rustling in walls. If you hear a weird rustle when it’s quiet, you could be dealing with carpenter ants. Act fast, as these ants can cause significant damage. Another sign of carpenter ants is the sudden appearance of wood shavings.
- Ant nests in gardens or lawns. Ant nests look like small mounds of dirt, but on closer inspection, you’ll see ants moving in and out of a small circular opening.
How to Get Rid of Ants
Most ant colonies are incredibly resilient to ant control methods that you buy from your local store. We
recommend contacting pest control professionals, but if you’re in a tight spot, try these stopgaps:
1. If you spot ants moving to or from your property, disrupt their pheromone trail using a different
scent. When ants lay a trail, they’re leaving pheromones behind for other members of the ant colony
to follow. You can disrupt the pheromones by wiping the trail using an ammonia-based cleaner
2. After disrupting the trail, you can start tackling the ants. To do this, either use an all-purpose cleaner, a specific ant spray, or apple cider vinegar. Spray the ants you see liberally and wipe them away. Make sure you dispose of the cloth you use for wiping.
3. After wiping up the ants, it’s likely that other members of the colony are still nearby. You can buy a few commercial ant traps and place them in areas where you were seeing the ants.
2. After disrupting the trail, you can start tackling the ants. To do this, either use an all-purpose cleaner, a specific ant spray, or apple cider vinegar. Spray the ants you see liberally and wipe them away. Make sure you dispose of the cloth you use for wiping.
3. After wiping up the ants, it’s likely that other members of the colony are still nearby. You can buy a few commercial ant traps and place them in areas where you were seeing the ants.
To prevent ants from invading your home, be sure to implement these best practices:
- Always seal food properly and don’t leave leftovers out for too long. Food acts as a beacon for ants—especially sugary foods.
- Clean food spills quickly and thoroughly.
- Seal entry points in your home. This includes any gaps near windows, doors, and pipes.
Ant Prevention With 24x7:
In many cases, you may find that using a professional ant infestation service will save you time and produce quicker results.
At 24×7, we’re able to identify the type of ant that’s invading your home, why it’s there, and how to
prevent the problem in the future. We’ll start by eliminating your initial problem. Our professionals have
the right tools for dealing with your ant infestation quickly and thoroughly. After we’ve removed ants
from your property, we’ll help you prevent future problems and make recommendations on how to ant-
proof your home.
To make sure you enjoy an ant-free home, call us for information about ant prevention and removal!