Ants can easily find their way into your home through tiny cracks and crevices, and they will often be spotted near food sources. Aside from seeing ants, you may also hear them inside walls, which is a favorite place to nest. There are thousands of species of ants, and in the U.S. the most common species found in homes are carpenter ants, fire ants, and little black ants. If you notice signs of ants outside your home, such as in the yard, you should consider the possibility they are also inside your home even if you haven't seen signs of them yet. The most common sign of an ant problem in your yard or around the perimeter of your property is a mound of dirt with ants visible around it. They will enter the mound and crawl underground to their nest.

Tackling An Infestation

Ants can cause damage to your home and spoil food stored in your pantry. They should be eliminated as soon as possible after you notice them, as they breed quickly and colonies will spread into other areas of your home. Your chosen pest control company will inspect your whole property for signs of nesting and may employ a few different strategies for ridding your home of ants.

Firstly, the whole colony has to be targeted to get rid of an infestation. If you simply spray ant killer on any ants you see, the queen ant will keep reproducing and sending more ants out into your home to bring back food. Bait insecticides are typically used to kill off a colony. Gel bait will be placed strategically around your home for ants to eat and take back to the colony to share with the queen. Once ingested, the ants will die and a colony cannot survive without a queen to reproduce.

When your food preparation and storage areas are being targeted by ants, a contact killer may also be used alongside bait insecticides. This typically involves spraying the perimeter of an area you wish to seal off and protect and can provide residual control while the bait insecticides are being fed to the colony.

When it's not possible to determine if the nest is indoors or outdoors, the external perimeter of your property will need to be treated with contact killer to deter ants from entering your home if the nest is outside. In this situation, bait insecticides will be used both indoors and outdoors to ensure the queen ant is killed off regardless of where the nest is located.

Minimizing A Recurrence

You can minimize a recurrence of ants colonizing your home by sealing any cracks or crevices in window frames, doors, and walls. Clean any areas that ants were once present in, as they leave a trail of pheromones, which could attract other ants to your property. Additionally, if you have areas of your home with high moisture, try to address this by using a dehumidifier and repairing any leaks, as ants need moisture to survive.

Your local pest control company will be happy to discuss the products they use and inspect your property before and after treatment to ensure the full extent of your ant infestation has been identified and dealt with.

For further information, reach out to a company like All Seasons Pest Control co.