ANT EXTERMINATOR LEVITTOWN, PA
Posted by Admin
Ants are one of the most common pests one can find in their household. It is easy for them to find their way inside a home, and from the many species of ants, there is a wide range of factors that can attract them to your home. While many families may fear it is because they unintentionally left their home in unsanitary conditions, the reason for your problem may be just from the bowl of fruit you leave on your counter.
While mostly harmless, ants can cause extreme property damage if not thoroughly taken care of by a pest control professional. They can also cause health issues if allowed to run rampant through pantries or other food stores. Therefore, it is imperative to call an exterminator if ants are spotted in the home to protect your family, pets, and property from harm or damage.
HOW DOES AN EXTERMINATOR GET RID OF ANTS?
Firstly, exterminators perform a thorough inspection to make sure all ants are found and taken care of. Exterminators have a range of treatments for dealing with ants. Most likely, an insect killing product will be sprayed around the walls of the house to kill off ants as they intrude. Foggers and dust can also be used to kill ants, especially those living within the walls of your home. To keep ants from entering the home in the future, granules will be laid around the perimeter so ants and other insects cannot enter.
HOW MUCH IS PEST CONTROL FOR ANTS?
The cost of treatment will depend on the scope of the problem and any risks an exterminator may need to take, including going into crawlspaces to find all ant populations within the home. A large ant infestation will cause more to treat than a smaller one, which is why it is important to call an exterminator once it is suspected that there is an infestation. This is also important because ants can cause property damage, which will increase the cost significantly if you require home repair.
It's important to understand some of the main factors that can impact the cost of your treatment, including the type, severity, and property size.
• TYPE OF ANT
There are several different species of ants that can cause problems in homes and businesses. One of the most destructive and costly ants to treat is that of the carpenter ant when given the opportunity to build nests in walls, under floors, and elsewhere.
• SEVERITY OF INFESTATION
How severe is the problem? Is there just one colony or multiple colonies? Large and/or multiple colonies pose greater challenges due to the number of workers and queens present which requires a greater degree and frequency of treatment for successful eradication.
• SIZE OF PROPERTY
How big is the area affected? Another factor associated with the cost of treatment involves the size of your property, and whether treatment around the perimeter or just inside the home or business is required to effectively resolve the problem.
DO ANT EXTERMINATORS WORK?
While many home remedies have been reported, an exterminator is the only way to ensure eradication of ant infestation. And exterminators not only get rid of the existing problem but can advise you properly on how to prevent infestations in the future.
Although the source of the information found online is not always known, you can know that an exterminator is trained and licensed to safely take care of infestations.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR ANTS TO GO AWAY AFTER EXTERMINATOR?
Most ants will die very soon after the initial treatment. However, it may take up to two weeks to kill off all the stragglers as they filter out onto the insect killing material. Behavior may be erratic during this time but seeing more ants soon after treatment up until the 14 days have passed is normal. The material used to kill them makes them loopy. There should be no more ants after two weeks. Extremely large infestations may require more than one treatment, but it is overall a rare occurrence.
CAN ANTS LIVE IN WALLS?
Ants are very versatile pests and will make their home pretty much anywhere they can fit. They can easily find a way into the walls of your home through small cracks or holes from the outside. Exterminators are trained to find these access points during inspection before killing the ants already inside your home and preventing more from coming in.
Ants living in walls can cause extensive property damage as their colonies grow, so it is imperative to call an exterminator if you suspect ants are hiding out in there.
WHY ARE THERE ANTS IN MY HOUSE IF THERE’S NO FOOD?
The idea that ants are only interested in food is untrue. While food is certainly the main attraction for ants when looking for a home, they may also just be looking for shelter within the walls of your house. They prefer moist environments where they can ensure a steady supply of drinking water, so if it is especially dry outside, a human home will be appealing. Carpenter ants also specifically seek out homes due to the abundance of wood within that they can shelter in and utilize.
If you live in an apartment complex or a home that attaches to others, ants may be getting in due to the attraction of your neighbors.
DOES KILLING ANTS ATTRACT MORE ANTS?
Ants release a pheromone when they die. Ants that detect this pheromone become aware that there is danger, and they will go to investigate if the immediate threat is gone. This is where they will discover the body of their comrade, so it may seem like the body has attracted more. However, after discovering the body, other ants will take the corpse and deliver it to an “ant graveyard,” or a midden. It is amazing that they are intelligent enough to understand the corpses are unhygienic for the colony and have a place to put them so that they will not spread disease.
In short, investigative ants pose no threat to you, and they were around before you squashed their buddy. They may be aware it was you who did it if you have the pheromone on your shoe or arm, but they are far more afraid of you than you are of them and will not seek revenge.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE ANTS IN YOUR HOUSE
Anytime you notice signs of an infestation, the first thing you should do is call an exterminator. Initial inspections are free of charge, and after knowing the situation, an exterminator can inform you of the price to take care of the problem. While waiting for your appointment, try to pinpoint what may be causing the infestation. Is there food or trash being left out? Are there crumbs or spills? Dirty dishes in the sink? Is your home a welcoming environment for ants in a dry area? Minimizing the attractiveness of your home might lower the severity of the problem. |
DO ANTS SLEEP?
Ants sleep in short intervals, from 1-8 minutes in a series of power naps throughout the day. There will never be a time where ants have an extended period of inactivity, so they are continuously aware of what is going on in the household, what food could be available to them, or what dangers may be lurking around.
WHY DO ANTS SUDDENLY SWARM?
All it takes is one ant to scout out food in your home. This could be as simple as leaving a pie on your windowsill. This scout will return to its nest and inform the other ants that there is food nearby, and then the swarm will come marching to bring your pie in little pieces back to the nest. A swarm eating food that is left out does not automatically mean you have an infestation, but if this is a pattern of behavior, it is time to call an exterminator.
WILL ANTS GO AWAY ON THEIR OWN?
Ants will sometimes stop seeing your house as a viable food source. It depends on the extent of food that you leave available for them. If ants come around your home to enjoy the sugary drink you spilled, they likely will not make too many return trips once they realize the spill was a one-time thing. Leaving food out consistently will lead to ants indulging themselves on your property more often, and they may decide to make permanent residence there until an exterminator is called to deal with them.
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