One of the most common pest control problems is ants. Ant invasions usually begin with that one lone ant that sneaks into your home and looks around to identify available food sources. Once he has identified a source, off he goes back to his colony to round up the troops. Ant control starts with the first ant. If you ignore that first ant you can be assured that more will follow.
Types of Household Ants
There are various types of household ants that you can find hiding in your kitchen. Common household ants are sugar ants, odorous house ants, carpenter ants, Argentine ants, Pharaoh ants and more. The kind of ants that you find in your kitchen could depend on the area that you live in. In the case of some, they could be part of a super colony that stretches through your neighborhood.
Household ants can be very difficult to deal with because there are usually several nests with various queens. You may have these pests in your home before you are aware of them. It is important to have the type of ant that has infiltrated your home identified correctly because each ant has its own characteristics. Your pest control professional can identify the ant and decide on the best course of action.
How to Prevent Ant Invasions
The easiest way to keep ants out of your home is to make sure that there is not any food left out, the counters and appliances in your home are wiped clean and that all foodstuffs are tightly sealed. Fix leaky faucets to interrupt their water source. Once a scout ant finds a food or water source, they leave a pheromone trail back to their home. The trail will lead the other ants back to the source and now you have been invaded. Use a mixture of 50% water and 50% vinegar and wipe away the ant trail. By doing this, you can temporarily break up their ability to find their way into your kitchen. If you can, save a couple of ants to show your pest control technician so that they can quickly identify the type of ant that they are dealing with.
How to Rid Your Home of Ants
Ants can be very difficult to get rid of because by the time you see your first ant they usually have a full grown colony developed. You may deter them from one entry point but it won't be long before they find another. Usually a professional pest control company can rid your home of ants effectively in a few visits. Sometimes for larger infestations it could take longer. It can be time-consuming and frustrating to try to keep these pests out of your kitchen. While there are many home remedies to choose from, many times it can be a losing battle against a well-organized and determined army of ants. Call your pest control specialist and win the battle.
Successfully eradicating ants or other pests requires some knowledge of their likes, dislikes and habits. The safety of your family is important and choosing to use a qualified pest control specialist is the first step to ensuring that the products that are used are not harmful to humans or pets but also effective.
Brandon Pelfrey is the owner of Team Pest USA, an Atlanta pest control company. Family owned and operated since 1971, Team Pest USA also offers Atlanta mosquito control, termite treatments, and wildlife removal. Learn more about Atlanta mosquito control at http://www.pestusa.com/atlanta-pest-control/atlanta-mosquito-control/