Learn the signs of an ant infestation in a home or business, how to handle them, and why Official Pest Prevention is your top choice for ant control services!
What if your home was about to be invaded and you didn’t even know it?
For homeowners, an ant infestation is one of the worst things that can happen. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t know how to spot an infestation, much less how to deal with it.
That’s why we put together this guide. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about finding and eliminating ant infestations!
Watch the Food
How will you spot if there has been an ant infestation? In some cases, this can be as simple as paying close attention to your food!
Ants are naturally attracted to food. If you leave food out in the kitchen or other areas, ants may come into your home to snatch it. In some cases, they might even try to snack on food in your pet’s bowl.
This is one of the reasons why a simple method for ant control is to keep your kitchen area very clean (more on this later).
Ant Infestation in the Walls
It’s easy enough to spot ants with the naked eye when they are crawling on your food or on your walls. But what about when you can’t see any ants at all?
There are different kinds of ants that may infest your home. One kind is carpenter ants, and they build nests inside your walls.
How will you know if they are there? If you listen closely at night, you may hear a kind of rustling noise in your walls. You can also knock on your walls in certain areas. If a wall that was very sturdy before now sounds hollow when you knock, you are probably dealing with a carpenter ant infestation.
Colony in the Yard
Signs of ants include more than ants eating your food or walking around in your walls. In some cases, you may spot an ant colony in your yard.
At first, you might think such a colony is too far away to be a threat. But take it from us: ants have no problem traveling from the colony to your home in order to secure food.
That’s why it’s important to deal with any ant colonies that you see. You may be able to do a good job with some over-the-counter ant products, but you’ll likely need to contact a professional to make sure they take care of the colony for good.
Inspect Wet Areas
Obviously, carpenter ants like to consume wood. But they prefer wet wood over dry wood. Because of this, you need to pay particularly close attention to damp areas.
Carpenter ants are usually drawn to areas like kitchens and bathrooms due to the water used in these areas. And if you have a leaky faucet or even a leaky outdoor pipe, the ants are likely to come running.
And carpenter ants particularly enjoy rotted wood. If you have any such wood around your house (such as lumber or firewood), it’s important to get rid of it right away.
Spot Those Wood Shavings
Still worried about carpenter ants? In some cases, evidence of their presence can be a little more obvious. This includes when you find mysterious wood shavings around the house.
The shavings come from the ants burrowing into your woodwork. You may notice these wood shavings when you go to sweep up the floor. And there may be more of the shavings than you think because unlike termites, carpenter ants are not actually consuming the wood as they burrow into it.
Now that you know more about how to spot an ant infestation, let’s look at the different ways you can deal with the problem.
Keep It Clean
Remember when we said ants would travel from the colony and come for your food? One of the best ways to prevent infestations is to keep things very clean when it comes to your food.
Try to clean and sanitize areas such as your kitchen. And that means more than just wiping down the counters. You also need to vacuum in order to get rid of the food crumbs that ants would love to feast on.
The other thing you need to do is master the art of food storage. Instead of leaving plastic bags open in food containers, clip those bags closed. Or you can move everything from the original containers into plastic storage containers with lids.
Clip bags down, move everything you can into airtight containers and sanitize the outside of those containers. This will go a long way to keeping ants out.
The Limits of Sprays
When you see ants inside your home, your first instinct is likely to reach for that over-the-counter pest spray. But that spray is likely to give you some mixed results.
On one hand, the spray should do a good job of killing any ants you see. On the other hand, the ants may continue to come from the outside colony into your home. Until you destroy the colony and their queen, your home is still at risk.
You can try your hand at some other products intended to help take the colony out. But there are some colonies you may not be able to fully handle without some professional assistance.
Call the Professionals
Why should you call a professional for your ant infestation? The simple reason is that doing anything else means you’re taking a major risk.
For every ant you see, there are countless ants that may be hidden. A professional can help you detect these ants and even uncover exactly how and where they are entering your home.
Professionals also have safe and reliable equipment and chemicals to help deal with the ants. They can quickly and cleanly destroy the entire colony, allowing you to sleep peacefully at night.
Finally, when you find a reliable local professional, you can just reach for the phone if you encounter future pest problems.
Your Next Move
Now you know how to spot an ant infestation. But do you know who can help you take out those ants?
At Official Pest Prevention, we specialize in ants as well as pests such as termites, bed bugs, spiders, and even rodents. To see how we can help you take back control of your home, contact us today!
Official Pest Prevention is equipped to handle any infestations you may have. Whether you live in a commercial area or a residential one, if you say hello to us, you’ll be saying goodbye to those pesky bugs.
If you have any questions at all about our highly-rated services, then please feel free to contact us. We’re always eager to help out.
Official Pest Prevention is a family-owned, licensed pest control company celebrating 20 years serving over 100,000 satisfied customers in five area codes throughout Northern and Central California. Starting with a few contacts, and only four full-time employees, our small company has grown into an organization that today employs over 100 people, maintains a fleet of 75 vehicles, and has serviced over 100,000 Northern California households. This tremendous growth has come from loyal customers, who have recommended our work to their friends, family, and neighbors.
We are a full-service pest control company. Whatever your pest problem, we have a solution. Our goal is to make your property pest-free. Guaranteed. Contact us online or by phone (877) 711 2847 – for immediate assistance. Same-day bookings and flexible payment plans available – because pest invasions wait for no one.
