Ants in a kitchen may not seem like a big deal at first glance. Most people think ants can do little more than invade the sugar bowl or gather crumbs left behind by a messy teenager. Still, the pests can be problematic in ways you may not have thought of before. For example, they can build nests inside electrical outlets, damage electronics and appliances, contaminate food, and spread disease.
Many things draw ants to a kitchen. The pests seek food, water, and shelter, supplied in rooms that fit that criterion. A kitchen is a place where food and water are readily available. Even if there aren't spills and crumbs left behind after meals, ants can find their way into boxes and containers that don't get sealed tightly enough.
Additionally, homemade treatment remedies often fail to get rid of ants since most are unable to remove the pheromone trail they leave behind, which will continue to attracts other pests until a professional exterminator eradicates them. Knowing how to avoid attracting ants in the home in the first place is among your best lines of defense. Studying up on the subject is easy, thanks to the internet and the vast knowledge base of the paid professional you've hired to remove the ants from your home.
ENTRY POINT DETECTION
Ants find their way into homes through entry points that you may not have thought about before. Among the most common are between door and window frames. If there are gaps wide enough for ants to squeeze through, they'll have a way to get into your house and head straight for food, water, and a warm place to nest. Another way that the pests enter a household is by climbing onto your clothing or in boxes and bags that you carry indoors.
Having a professional exterminator remove the ants' home from areas where your children and pets play is also very helpful. Small steps like these equate to big steps in preventing future ant infestations. You can gain additional pointers from the pest control expert you hired when they come to your home and examine it for possible entry points.
SPECIES IDENTIFICATION
There is not a single species of ant to deal with, making it difficult to determine the right treatment option to get rid of them. There are over 12,000 known ant species, with an estimated 22,000 species altogether in the world. Knowing how to rid a property of a specific type of ant takes knowledge and expertise that the average person doesn't possess. An exterminator is the right candidate to take on the job because of their ability to identify various species of ants correctly.
Hiring a an experienced pest control professional is ideal. It ensures that the species gets identified correctly. That way, the problem can be dealt with properly and efficiently.
NEST DISCOVERY & DESTRUCTION
When a pest control professional comes to your home, one of the things they will do is search for nests on your property. Once identified, they'll take the steps necessary to destroy the nest and the colony so that the ants no longer pose a problem for you and your household. As long as a nest and the queen exist, new colonies of ants take over the former colony areas. To rid the property of an ant population successfully, the exterminator must remove all traces of a nest and colony, the queen included, to keep an infestation from occurring again.
ANT PREVENTION
Among the most effective ways to prevent ant problems in and around the home is to remove brush and organic matter from yards. Ants build nests in places where they're able to hide. A warm, dry pile of tree branches and raked leaves is a problem spot for most people's ant issues. Keeping a yard clean and free of debris eliminates the issue.
Another option for keeping ants out of a home is to check entry points to ensure they remain sealed regularly. The pests can't make their way into a home if there isn't an entrance they can squeeze through. Repackaging food and drinks in sealed containers creates a barrier that is resistant to ants. Even if the pest finds a way into your home via your clothing or grocery bags, they'll have a hard time locating enough food to sustain them long-term.
HOW TO TREAT FOR ANTS
Ants are the number one pest control issue and can prove virtually impossible for home and business owners to solve on their own. Ending an ant infestation typically requires proper ant identification, locating and destroying the nest or colony, as well as the use and application of specialized products.
As such, it is not advisable for property owners to attempt to eradicate an ant infestation without assistance from a professional pest control provider.
