Ants
About
Despite their small size, ants can cause a significant amount of problems for people. They are on the constant lookout for easy access to food, water, and shelter. If your property offers ants a suitable place to live and feed, they will not hesitate to take advantage. In our area, the species of ants we need to worry about taking over our yards and homes include pavement (sugar) ants, odorous house ants, fire (army) ants, and carpenter ants.
Ants are social and live and work together. Ants often have many nesting sites, but the main nesting site is outside and houses the queens, workers, and eggs. As the colony grows, worker ants create satellite nests that can be inside of homes and other structures. Their multiple nesting sites and large colony size are just a couple of reasons why these pests are so difficult to avoid and prevent. However, preventing problems with ants is important because depending on the species, some, like fire ants, may be directly dangerous to people — spreading diseases, biting, or stinging. Others, like carpenter ants, are dangerous to our structures. Whether they are considered dangerous or not, ants that find their way into a home or business will contaminate food and surfaces with bacteria that they carry on their legs and bodies.
Keep ants out of your home with the help of the professionals at J&M Pest Control and the following prevention tips. Many ants are attracted to areas of moisture. Reduce moisture in and around your home by keep gutters clear, fixing leaky pipes, and using dehumidifiers. Also, eliminate their easy access to food by keeping locking lids on trash cans and recycling bins. Maintain garden areas and keep outdoor eating areas free of leftover food. Seal cracks in the foundation, place a cover over vents and drains, and install weatherstripping around windows and doors. Doing so will help maintain a barrier to keep ants out of your home. Cut shrubbery back from your home’s exterior walls, create a stone barrier between any mulch or soil, and store woodpiles up off the ground and away from your house. Call J&M Pest Control today to begin working together to maintain a home or business free of ants and other common pests!