Ants are not selfish creatures, but they are inconsiderate. What do we mean by this? Well, ants work extremely hard to provide food for their colony. Experts estimate that worker ants walk over 2 miles a day. During all of this walking, they still manage to find time to annoy homeowners, steal their food, and generally cause trouble around homes. If you are tired of ants crawling around in your living areas and wonder how they got through in the first place, here are a few things you should know.
Why Ants Invade Homes
Ants are always on the lookout for opportunities; opportunities to feed their colony, opportunities to find shelter from unfavorable conditions outdoors, and opportunities to create a better life for themselves. With most ant species, invasion starts with an accessible source of food or water. From here, worker ants path in and out of your home through entry points to gather what they can.
If the weather outside is too cold, hot, or stormy, ants may look to your home as a place to find shelter. Carpenter ants, in particular, use the wood of homes to construct large nests. These nests consist of hundreds of tunnels and cause extensive damage that can cost an arm and a leg to fix.
Are Ants Dangerous?
Most ants are not dangerous and pose little to no threat to human health. The two exceptions in our area are Pharaoh ants and fire ants. Pharaoh ants are generally dirty pests that regularly carry disease-causing organisms on their body. Diseases this pest spreads around homes include salmonellosis and staphylococcus. On the other hand, fire ants pose a threat with their venomous stingers, especially to those who are allergic. If you are not allergic to insect venom, stings from these pests will still bring a considerable amount of stinging, burning pain, itchiness, and days of discomfort.
What Are Carpenter Ants?
One species of ants that live in our area causes more trouble than the rest. They are called carpenter ants, and they love building their nests into the wood of homes. This type of behavior, when left unchecked, leads to severe structural damage, damage that will potentially cost you thousands of dollars to fix.
Some Strategies To Prevent Ants
Because there are so many different species of ants that live in our area, putting together an effective prevention strategy often proves difficult. To simplify things for you today, here are some essential tips and tricks that help deter these invasive pests:
- Seal your home’s exterior foundation using a caulking gun.
- Repair damage to window/door screens.
- Install door sweeps under your exterior doors.
- Address moisture issues in and around your home.
- Clean out your pet’s bowls after they finish with them.
- Thoroughly clean your home at least once a week and pick up drink and food messes as they occur.
- Store leftover foods inside airtight containers.
How To Guarantee Ants Stay Out Of Your Home
When considering methods for ant prevention, do not forget about professional pest control services. Now more than ever, professional pest control is available at affordable prices and offers a much better solution to problems than DIY offers.
For the absolute best ant control in Salt Lake City, call the Pest Pro Pest Control professionals. We will implement the necessary treatments to ensure pesky ants get and stay out of your property for good. With several options to choose from, you will have no trouble finding the right plan for your home.