BLACK ANTS IN THE HOUSE YARDLEY PA
Posted by Admin
When little black ants invade your house, what should you do?
Solving this problem goes well beyond just putting out a couple of ant traps. Unless you treat the problem at its source, it's just going to go on and on.
That is why your best option is to hire an exterminator to assess the situation whenever you find ants in your house. They can tell you if you have little black ants or carpenter ants that can cause significant structural damage to your house.
Even more importantly, an exterminator can provide you with sensible, effective treatments that will end your pest problems for good.
If you are not sure if you have little black ants or carpenter ants, then it is wise to call an exterminator immediately to minimize the damage to your home.
BLACK ANTS IN THE HOUSE
Black ants may invade any home, even ones that are kept scrupulously clean. That's because these insects are opportunists. It only takes a very small crack to invite them inside.
BLACK ANTS IN THE HOUSE IN THE SPRING
Ants of all species tend to become a great deal more active in the spring, so it is not unusual for infestations to begin in this season. The ants need to nest in a place that stays warm at night and where they can have ready access to water and food.
In fact, this is a perfect description of your home. A small hole or crack in the exterior provides the access point, and before long the ants are trooping back and forth as they build a nest and forage for food. If the ants find plenty of food in your home, they will keep coming back, even if their nest is located outdoors.
BLACK ANTS IN THE HOUSE AT NIGHT
With thousands of workers, it's possible for ant colonies to be active on a 24/7 basis. That's why you will probably see a line of ants marching in a trail across your kitchen counter or floor at night. It's not a very pleasant thing to see when you get up for a glass of water or a midnight snack, which is exactly what the ants are doing too.
WHERE DO BLACK ANTS COME FROM?
These tiny insects are absolutely everywhere. One of the reasons that ant infestations are so difficult to control is that they are so numerous. Unless you treat the problem at its source, it will endure.
It seems like black ants should have everything they need in the outdoors, but if they discover a ready source of food, water or shelter in your home, then they will happily come inside. The colony has a voracious appetite that must be satisfied. Constant foraging for food is the only means of survival.
WHERE DO BLACK ANTS LIKE TO NEST?
Black ants are quite adaptable when it comes to nesting habitat. Decaying wood can provide a marvelous place to nest, but you also might discover a colony living in cement or the crack in a wall. Outdoor nests may be established beneath large stones or rocks or in rotting logs. Garden soil can provide ideal conditions.
WHERE DO BLACK ANTS COME FROM IN THE WINTER?
Ants actually are quite adept at overwintering, unlike some other pests. Most species drop their body temperatures as the weather gets colder. They begin to move more sluggishly, and you may not see them for a time. A warm environment is needed to help them survive the coldest temperatures, and your home gives them a ready solution. Accordingly, seeing black ant activity in your home in the winter signals that the nest may be located somewhere inside. A routine pest control inspection and treatment can remedy the issue.
WHAT ATTRACTS BLACK ANTS IN THE HOUSE?
Black ants are the ultimate survivors. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, they can discover a food source anywhere.
WHY DO I HAVE BLACK ANTS IN MY HOUSE?
The first ant may enter your home out of curiosity. It's probably a worker ant that is out scavenging for sweet foods or protein. They can wander quite far from the nest, so if your home is nearby, they will come inside through any crack or hole.
From there, the worker ant is led by a strong sense of smell to the kitchen, pantry or anywhere else that food is stored. Even a couple of crumbs on the living room floor could attract a party of foraging ants. When one worker ant discovers a food source, a powerful scent trail is laid down for other workers to follow. This means that the infestation continues until the access point is blocked and the colony is destroyed.
BLACK ANTS VERSUS CARPENTER ANTS
Are the ants that you are seeing in your house little black ants or carpenter ants? It's an important distinction. You don't want either one in your house, but it is the carpenter ants that will cause the expensive property damage.
ARE ALL BLACK ANTS CARPENTER ANTS?
While it is true that carpenter ants frequently are black, so are many other species of ant. Carpenter ants excavate nests in wood, creating hollow, smooth tunnels in which to live and raise young. However, they do not eat the wood like termites do. Instead, they eat protein and sugar like many other ant species.
Other ant species that are black include little black ants, pavement ants and odorous house ants.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BLACK ANTS AND CARPENTER ANTS?
The most obvious difference between these species is size. The carpenter ant worker measures about five-eighths of an inch, but little black ants usually are about one-eighth or one-sixteenth of an inch long. Accordingly, if you are seeing big black ants in your house, you may be dealing with a carpenter ant infestation.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE CARPENTER ANTS?
Carpenter ant infestations typically are difficult to detect because these pests like to stay in dark, inaccessible places like basements and crawlspaces. However, they do leave behind telltale signs of their presence. Chief among these are the tiny mounds of wood shavings that look like fine sawdust that are found around baseboards, window sills and door jambs.
Sometimes, people report hearing rustling noises emanating from a hollow door or wall void that is hosting an infestation. In the spring, homes with a mature colony of carpenter ants will experience flying swarms of mating ants. After mating, piles of shed wings will be left behind.
SIGNS OF BLACK ANTS IN THE HOUSE
Little black ants can be pretty skilled at hiding, but they may reveal their presence by walking in conspicuous lines across surfaces in the kitchen. The bathroom is another likely spot in which you may see little black ants. It's the moisture in this room that makes it a good nesting location. You also may find ants infesting a bag or carton of food in the pantry or discover them congregating around a small crack or hole in your home's exterior.
All of these are signs that a growing infestation is underway and that professional ant control is needed.
HOW TO GET RID OF BLACK ANTS
Although black ants are a common problem, getting rid of them rarely is easy. You could use entire cans of ant spray on a line of ants trailing through your kitchen, but this will never stop the infestation.
HOW DO I GET RID OF BLACK ANTS IN MY HOUSE?
One critical measure is to remove the things that are attracting the ants. This includes your food, which you can safeguard by storing in glass or metal containers with tight lids. Don't store food on the kitchen counter, and if someone spills a drink or leaves behind crumbs, make certain to wipe it up immediately.
Black ants also are attracted to water, so repair any plumbing or irrigation leaks that you discover on your property. Take care of standing water as well to further discourage ants from gathering near your house.
HOW DO YOU GET RID OF A BLACK ANT INFESTATION?
Once black ants have come indoors, it can be incredibly difficult to evict them. Fortunately, exterminators are trained to treat the problem at its source. This means that they will locate the colony's nest and take steps to destroy it. With the queen dead and the next generation gone, the colony will quickly die.
The exterminator also will take steps to ensure that ants and other pests cannot get into the house by identifying and blocking access points.
WHAT IS THE BEST HOMEMADE ANT KILLER?
People have tried remedies like mixtures of white vinegar and water or dish soap and water. While these methods can treat the symptoms of the problem, they do not destroy the nest or eliminate the pests' ability to come indoors.
With the assistance of a licensed pest management professional, homemade ant killers are made obsolete and families can go back to enjoying their homes.
