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Ants can cause many more problems than just being an eyesore. Ants can bring diseases and bacteria into the home, and some types of ants may actually destroy the structural integrity of your home.
Ant Infestation Nuances
Carpenter ants, pharaoh ants, Argentine ants, and kitchen ants are unsightly and hazardous to your home and health. Yellowish pharaoh ants can thrive in the walls and under floorboards, and they can transfer microbes from dirty areas to foods and on your body. Meanwhile, carpenter ants can have termite-like wood-chewing skills to build their nests, and Argentine ants can adapt to live in moist soil, in crevices of buildings and beneath boards. Unfortunately, these different types of ants can be very difficult to eradicate. For example, a single Argentine or pharaoh ant colony can contain up to 200 queens, and an entire city block could be a unicolony, representing millions of workers and thousands of queens. So, eradicating all nearby colonies is essential to effective ant control, which includes careful assessment, planning and action by the professionals at Arrow’s Exterminating.
Recognizing the Signs of an Ant Infestation
The most obvious sign of an ant infestation is seeing ants in the home. However, their small size can make them easily unnoticeable. Ants are typically found near food and water sources, including pet dishes, unsealed bags or containers of food, and sinks or tubs. Pharaoh ants can even survive on grease. Other signs of an ant infestation include the following:
- Presence of wood shavings beneath wooden parts of the home.
- Damaged wooden doors, walls or other wooden structures in the home without the presence of termites.
- Slight rustling noises in the walls of the home.
- Additional respiratory problems without a definable cause. For example, ants may exacerbate allergies or asthma.
- Bite marks may be present on family members or pets in cases of large-ant infestations. However, the smallest kitchen ants do not usually bite.
Arrow’s 4 Steps to Eradicating an Ant Infestation
- Identify the types of ants infesting a home or structure, and explain the potentials risks from the specific type of ant infestation to the homeowner or occupant.
- Inspect the exterior of the home for cracks, wet areas and other ant-hospitable settings, such as plants, vegetation or debris near the foundation of the home. In addition, an indicator bait will be used to ensure all entry points are located prior to treatment.
- The interior of the structure will also be inspected for areas ants may be entering the home. This may include inspecting all interior rooms, closets and areas of the home. Ants may enter through cracks in the foundation and near entry points for utility services, including gas lines, water pipes and electrical conduits.
- The pest control professional will select an appropriate combination of dusts, aerosols, liquids and baits to eliminate the ant infestation. In addition, outdoor baits may need to be replaced after the initial eradication to prevent ants from re-colonizing the area in the future.
