Blog
Ants in the House! Why they're there and how to get RID of them.
As we move out of the winter months, pests become a growing concern again here in the Mountain Home area. One of the more common pests Hopper Termite & Pest experiences in the area are ants! These tiny creatures make their way into our homes, and can really drive you insane with their constant presence, especially inside the house, or even in your food!
One thing that’s important to know is that there are many different types of ants, each of which has their own reasons for being in your home, and each of which has different levels of problems attached to them. It’s important to identify what kind of ant you are dealing with so you know how to best get rid of them, but also to know how severe of an issue their presence is. Ant identification is a big part of controlling the issue, and something the experts here at Hopper can help you with!
If you find ants in your home, we recommend staying away from DYI pesticides and contacting Hopper Termite & Pest to help you address your infestation with expert identification and get the knowledge needed to deal with that particular ant species. If you’re looking to prevent an ant infestation knowing that spring is almost here, then you’ve come to the right place!
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
All ants have something in common, and that is they need food. Understandably, ants like to eat the same foods that we do, so they like to be near their food sources-- your kitchen! They also need moisture to survive, so they like warm wet spaces in the home. Some things you can do to prevent ant infestations are to make sure you fix any water leaks and do not leave puddles or pools of water around the kitchen.
Check under sinks, and near plumbing in bathrooms to make sure there are no leaks or moist areas hiding out of sight. After washing dishes, dry up any puddles or pools of water that may be sitting on the counter or left under dishes hung up to dry. If you do find a leak, make sure to have it fixed right away.
Keep your kitchen clean! Crumbs and open food packaging is one of the number one reasons ants come into your home. It’s like a free all you can eat buffet in there when you leave crumbs out under counters, behind appliances, or under the table. Make sure to fully seal and close food packaging in your pantry. Believe us, you will not be happy when you find your favorite cookies swarming with sugar ants!
Seal your home to the best of your ability. Most ants are very small and can fit in through the tiniest of cracks and holes in your home. Always be checking for small cracks or areas that look like small pests could come through and make sure to seal them up as soon as you can.
Make sure to keep brush and landscaping a safe distance from your home so it is not touching your external walls constantly. Pests like to make their homes in bushes and trees and it makes an easy path to your home from this landscaping.
Try to control ant piles and nests in your yard. Attempt to create proper drainage in your lawn, as sitting water attracts ants and other pests as well.
Overall, there are many preventative steps you can take to keep ants from inside your home. Ants are driven by their desire for food and water, much like us humans, so the harder you make these things to access in your home, the easier it is to keep the pests out.
If you do start to notice these little intruders in your home, stealing bits of your snacks, make sure to give us a call and we will help you identify the issues and make sure to get all your ant issues under control! Give us a call at 870-425-4122 or dig a ilttle deeper into our website services and articles for more information.
Comments
Ant Control Problems
Summertime is upon us! As school comes to a close for another year, the Twin Lakes Area looks forward to another summer full of lake time, sunshine, warm weather, vacations, fun, and ants!? Wait...one of those things doesn't sound as fun as the rest. While we all enjoy the many things summer brings with it here in the beautiful Mountain Home area, one of the not so enjoyable things is pests! We aren't the only creatures looking forward to that sunshine and fun. Once these unwanted guests have invaded your life, it can be very difficult to get rid of them and will most likely lead you to need pest control in Mountain Home.
If you are fortunate and haven't been visited by these pesky house guests yet, then your best option is preventative pest control. You will want to take all the steps you can to make sure you aren't providing an appealing habitat for these insects. When it comes to your home there are some small and easy steps that go a long way to make sure ants don't feel welcome. While a clean house may be inviting to your family and friends, it is not so inviting to ants. Taking out your trash regularly and making sure you clean up spills and crumbs will help make sure you aren't providing them with a yummy food source. Take particular care not to leave sticky sugary messes around. A good meal will keep them coming back for more! Also storing your food in airtight containers is a great way to protect your food. Another easy thing you can do is make sure you keep bushes, shrubs, and tree branches from touching your house by trimming them back. If not, they can provide nice little bridges from the outside world directly into your home.
If you are not so fortunate and have found yourself needing ant control in Mountain Home or the surrounding areas, the best thing you can do is take action! Don't put off doing something about it. Keep in mind there are several different kinds of ants in our area. Tiny black ant problems can seem pretty harmless and you may be tempted to hold off on seeking help, but don't. These tiny black ants, also known as the Odorous House Ant, may seem pesky and harmless, but if you let the problem go they can be very, very difficult to get rid of. Carpenter Ant problems can be a big deal! They are more than just a nuisance. These ants are highly destructive and can cause structural damage along the same lines as termites if left unattended. You can usually identify a Carpenter Ant by its larger black body.They range in size from 1/4 of an inch to an inch long. These ants colonize and carve galleries, or pathways, into the wood to move their nest around. This can cause major damage to your home. Keep your eyes open for moist or damp areas for these guys. Areas like windows and decks may be where they pop up. Fire ant problems are the most painful (literally) of the bunch! Fireants are small ranging from about 1/8 of an inch to 1/4 of an inch and are a coppery red color. They are also very aggressive and like to bite! This variety of ant is found mostly outside, but they will move indoors sometimes during hot, dry weather. That kind of weather is not uncommon in this area in the summer. These mean little pests are known for their sting and one ant can sting several times leaving behind red welts on the skin. If you have fire ants, wiping out their whole colony, including the queen, is required.
If ants haven't made their way into your house, but you have seen them outside, you are probably wondering how to get rid of ants in your yard. A couple steps you can take to make your yard less inviting would be to make sure you clean up any fallen tree branches and other moist decaying wood that they would find appealing. Also be sure to store firewood up off the ground if possible.
The best thing you can do, if you are dealing with any sort of ant problem in the Mountain Home, Arkansas area, is to give Hopper Termite & Pest, Inc. a call. While over-the-counter, do-it-yourself treatments may be appealing, you want to make sure you get the results you need in safe and timely fashion. A licensed, professional pest control service is your best bet to rid yourself of you run wanted guests, and they have a pest control plan to suit your budget.
