Common Household Ant – a Prevalent Pest
While ants are useful for the nature, because they clear out insect pests and aerate the soil, they become very annoying when they invade our homes and backyards. There are several kinds of ants that may occur in and around the home. They differ in size and colour which ranges from yellowish, red or brown to black. In order to determine the best method of control, it is very important to identify the species and to locate their nest.
Ants are social insects and live in colonies in the soil near the house foundation, under concrete slabs, in structural walls, in the yard or other protected places. An ant colony is an elaborate community consisting of the queen, the male reproductive ants, soldier ants and thousands of worker ants. It is the worker ants whom we usually see following an ant-produced chemical trail back to their nest. If there are a number of nests in close proximity each will have a unique scent for its workers to follow.
Ants Can Undermine Pavers, Cause Fires and Spread Diseases
The humble ant is possibly the most prevalent household pest as they are found in any building which contains food and water including hospitals and high rise offices. In addition to this once ants build a colony inside a building they can be difficult to control. While individual ants foraging around your kitchen may be more an annoyance than anything, what is little known though is that the ant colonies themselves can undermine pavers and plant roots, cause fires by damaging electrical wiring and can spread viral, fungal and bacterial diseases.
Unlike a number of other pests, ants will continue to feed from one food source until it is depleted. Although different species of ants do have definite food preferences these all tend to be for sweet and fatty foods.
Although it may be impossible to eliminate ants from outdoor settings they can be controlled inside buildings if their water and food sources are eliminated. But to achieve sustained success, control measures should be accomplished by a professional.
Top Ant Deterrent Tips
- Never leaving pet food out overnight
- Always fitting lids to compost buckets
- Washing all items stored for recycling
- Seal any cracks or crevices which may provide entry from outside
- Store any sweet foods such as honey in sealed containers which have been washed to remove residues from outer surfaces.
- Thoroughly clean all bench tops, floors, up grease and spills.
- Do not store garbage indoors.
If you are experiencing problems with ants and your personal efforts are proving unsuccessful call us and take advantage of our low impact products that are specially formulated to target ants as well as being safer for you and your family (including your pets).
Call us for fast solutions to your ant and other pest problems. Peace of mind in just one visit.
