When you think of problematic pests, you probably think of disease-carrying mosquitoes or damage-causing termites. But did you know that ants also carry and transmit illnesses? Pharaoh ants, for example, are common carriers of Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. Carpenter ants, on the other hand, can do significant damage to your home by tunneling through the wood just like termites. Learn more about ants below.
How did I get ants?
Ants eat what we eat, which means dirty dishes, food residue/crumbs, or household trash will attract ants in your home. They’re particularly drawn to sweet or greasy food, which is why it’s not uncommon to find them in the sugar bowl. Since ants are so small—with many varieties being only 1/16th of an inch—they’re able to enter your home through tiny cracks or gaps.
Ants are social insects—what starts as one or two in your home will quickly turn into an infestation if they’re able to establish a colony. Ants leave a trail of pheromones for others to follow. Once one ant locates a food source, the rest aren’t far behind. Ants spread by dividing their colony, which means you could end up with multiple nest sites. This is why it is so important to eradicate the entire colony.
Ants have a surprisingly long lifespan, with worker ants living up to seven years. And queens can live closer to 15 years! Ant colonies are composed of the queen (a fertile female who lays all the eggs), workers (wingless females who gather food, protect the nest, and perform other duties), and males (winged ants who mate with the queen). Many ant colonies contain between 300,000–500,000 ants.
How do I get rid of ants?
No matter what their commercials say, over-the-counter insecticides and sprays are often not effective when it comes to ant infestations. In fact, many pest control companies had trouble completely eliminating ants, too! They just keep coming back.
At Parker Pest Control, we strive to develop innovative ways to eliminate pests. Our treatment procedure works slowly, which means as worker ants come into contact with the treated surface, they spread the toxin back throughout their colony. This means that the entire colony is eliminated over time, stopping your ant problem in its tracks.
If you’re struggling with ants in your home, we’re here to help. Our ant treatment is guaranteed for 90 days, and the procedure has no noticeable odor or dangerous fumes. Visit our website to learn more about our ant treatment, or get in touch with us today to get started!