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There are several types of ants that can infiltrate your Tennessee home. Some of the most common are carpenter ants, Pharaoh ants, and odorous house ants. If you aren’t sure what kind you’re dealing with, here’s a quick breakdown of these three:
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As the weather starts to warm up, many of us look forward to spring and all that it brings. Unfortunately, one of the things that it brings is ants. In the springtime, these household pests become more active and start to look for sources of food and water. If you’re not careful, you may find yourself dealing with an infestation. Let’s discuss the different types of ants you’ll encounter in the springtime and how to prevent them from returning.
If an ant problem has become more than you can handle, be sure to give your local pest control company a call for a free inspection today!
Ants are small, annoying, and can sometimes lead to health risks. Finding them infested in your home is always alarming! There are several ant species found in the Fort Myers area, including ghost ants, white-footed ants, and carpenter ants. Once these pests infest your home, it can be extremely difficult to get rid of them. Check out our top 3 signs you need ant control for your home.
Carpenter ants are known to nest in damaged wood, especially wood that is damp from water. Their damage includes excavating wood to create their nests and creating holes. If you notice small trails of sawdust around, inside, or outside the home, it’s likely that you have ants.
Look for piles of sawdust near wooden beams, window ledges, skirting boards, and wood flooring. If you find sawdust or even the holes they create, it’s a sign that carpenter ants have infested.
Did you know that some ant types have wings for a short time? These ‘flying ants’ will usually swarm during the summer when a younger queen leaves the nest to start their own colony. If you notice discarded wings on the floors, windowsills, or doorsills, an ant colony could be inside the home.
One of the more serious signs of an ant infestation is noticing that your home’s wood structures are crumbling when touched. This is a sign that the home structure is weakened, sometimes caused by ants. Often, the wood can look normal from just looking at it, but a tell-tale sign if ants have infested is finding hollow-sounding wood that is weak under pressure.
To prevent ants, utilize these preventative measures throughout your home,
The kitchen is one of the most common rooms in your home to have ants, closely followed by the bathroom. The most common ants found indoors are odorous house ants, also known as nuisance ants. While these ants don’t cause structural damage and aren’t considered dangerous to humans or pets, they can contaminate your food and become quite a nuisance to deal with. Carpenter ants are larger black ants that can also get into your home. These ants do cause structural damage by boring through the wood components of your house.
The ants you find in your home don’t actually live there; they build colonies outdoors and come in looking for food and water to take back. These elements are necessary for the colony to live and grow. Scout ants who find these sources leave a pheromone trail for the rest of the colony to follow which is why you will often see ants traveling in a single line. Because they can scale walls and travel between stories in your home, they can spread quickly and be extremely difficult to get rid of.
Ants are attracted by a number of things found in your home. They use crumbs, spills, loosely sealed food packages, dirty dishes, and even pet food bowls to find food. They use leaky pipes, pet water bowls, and standing water for hydration.
What can you do to keep ants from taking over your kitchen? Prevent ants by:
Killing just the ants you find in your home won’t eliminate the entire infestation. You must eradicate them at the source – at their colonies. These ants can be difficult to eliminate because individual colonies can number in the thousands and they can be spread out all over your property. For assistance in dealing with ants or any other pests you may find in your home, contact your local pest control company for an evaluation.
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Ant season peaks in the spring and summertime, with these pests oftentimes finding their way inside your home. But did you know that carpenter ants remain active throughout the year? In return, they can cause damage to your home and infest.
Carpenter ants will nest in damaged wood, usually softwood damaged from water. Carpenter ant damage includes excavating wood to expand their nests, often making holes throughout exposed wood. If these ants are found inside, it is also an indication that there is a water issue, such as a leak.
While these ants are most active in the spring and summer, they are also known to infest homes during the winter months, as well. They will forage for food and water, looking for proteins, fats, and sugars. Once inside, these ants will look for a moist environment to help them survive. They can often be found in bathrooms, kitchens, pipes, and roof vents.
While carpenter ants do not die off in the winter months, they will instead become dormant when the temperatures drop. This usually depends on where they have built their nests and how much the temperature has dropped. If they have already found themselves inside, they will remain active or revive from their dormant state once the heat from the house has risen.
To prevent ants from entering your home this fall and winter, consider placing these preventative measures throughout your house,