ANT IDENTIFICATION & PREVENTION
What Are Ants?
Ants are common insects related closely to bees and wasps; all three living in large social groups. Like bees and wasps, reproductive members have wings and some ants even have stingers extending from the abdomen. The three main physical features that help people identify ants are a three-segmented body, a narrow waist, and short antennae.
Ants live in large numbers across most of the world, and unfortunately for us, Arizona is no exception. Ants live both indoors and out, causing problems for home and business owners alike. These small insects live together in large groups, with a single colony potentially having tens to hundreds of thousands of members. Ants are a common structural pest that invades our Phoenix area homes and businesses throughout the year.
Are Ants Dangerous?
Ants have biting mouthparts and can bite people; however, most ants aren’t aggressive enough to want to bite us. The biggest concern with ants is that they were outside crawling around the ground on decaying vegetation and animal matter before moving into our homes. As they travel over our home’s surfaces, they contaminate them with bacteria, disease-causing pathogens, and parasites.
Another issue with ants is that when they crawl over the fruits, vegetables, and other foods we have on our counters and tables, we have to throw them out.
Identifying the Causes of an Ant Problem
Food and moisture are the two biggest reasons why ants want to be in your yard or home. Workers ants leave the nest each day to forage for food for the colony; once they discover food, they will communicate their findings through pheromones they produce.
Some of an ant’s favorite places to search for food include trash cans, grill areas, gardens, and pet food bowls. Things like clogged gutters, dripping hoses, and leaking fixtures will produce the excess moisture around your home that attracts ants.
Common Areas to Find Ants
More than 10,000 ant species live worldwide, and you can find them in almost any habitat, from humid rainforests to deserts.
Our homes and yards also make excellent spots for ants to nest. Ants like to create their nests in the soil under woodpiles, fallen trees, rocks, stones, mulch, and landscaping ties. Most ant colonies have multiple nesting sites, placed both inside and outside.
As ants forage for food, they often end up in our homes, finding a way inside through small cracks and crevices they discover in its exterior. After moving inside, ants often decide to stay and create a satellite nest to expand their colony in a safe place near a food source. Indoor nesting spots include wall voids near HVAC units, behind sinks or large appliances, and near leaky pipes. Other popular nesting sites include potted plants, below floors, and in attics.
Effective Strategies for Ant Removal
The best way to protect your Phoenix area property from tiny, invading ants is to partner with a professional. At Overson Pest Control, we can help you make ants feel unwelcome on your property with the help of our effective pest control treatments.
We understand how frustrating problems with pests can be and are committed to solving pests problems no matter how big or small the infestation may be! With our pest control services backed by a 100% guarantee and unlimited free re-services, you can trust that we will rid your property of ants and help you prevent them from returning.
To learn more about working together with our locally owned and operated pest control company and how we can put our quality pest control services into action, reach out to Overson Pest Control today!
Preventing Future Ant Infestations: Tips & Tricks
In addition to our home pest control and commercial pest control services, protect your property from ants with the following prevention tips:
- Repair cracks in your foundation.
- Limit the moisture in and around your house that many ants are looking for by ventilating crawlspaces and repairing leaking pipes and fixtures.
- Keep gutters free of clogs that will keep them from working correctly, allowing water to pool near your foundation.
- Maintain a barrier between any landscaping your home’s exterior.
- Place lids on trash cans and recycling bins to keep ants out of them.
- Keep ants out of your kitchen by removing food sources and regularly vacuuming floors, and wiping down counters.
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