Ants

If you see one ant in your home or yard, there are hundreds or thousands more nearby. Ants are social insects and live and work together in large groups. They travel together in long lines, foraging for food to bring back to the nest to feed all the colony members. Ants divide the members of the nest into different groups — reproductives (males and queens) and workers. The worker ants are those we come into contact with and regularly find in our kitchens, basements, and bathrooms. Ants are problematic when invading our structures, not just because they are annoying to deal with, but because they cause problems like spreading bacteria, contaminating food, and getting into areas of a home where they just aren’t welcome.

Many different ant species live across the country. In our region, we are often called to deal with issues involving odorous house ants or carpenter ants. Both have learned that our yards, homes, and businesses will provide them with food, water, and shelter. Odorous house ants and carpenter ants are most attracted to properties that have problems with excess moisture. Carpenter ants like to nest in water-damaged or decaying wood both inside and outside our homes. Things like fallen trees, woodpiles, logs, and structural wood damaged by leaking pipes will cause carpenter ants to call a property home. Leaking pipes, low-lying areas collecting water, and poor ventilation will all cause odorous house ants to call your property home. Food is another big attractant for any species of ant; open trash cans, pet food, outdoor eating areas, and gardens often see trails of ants running through them.

Let the professionals at Infinity Pest Solutions, LLC help protect your property against ants through our effective ant control services and the following prevention tips. Keep ants away from your yard by removing their easy access to food. Keep lids on trash cans, maintain gardens and outdoor eating areas, and pick up uneaten pet food. Remove things like fallen trees, tree stumps, and other wood debris from your yard. Remove the moisture ants are looking for by repairing leaky pipes and properly ventilating basements, crawl spaces, and bathrooms. To keep ants from being able to move into your home, regularly inspect its exterior and fill in any openings. Also, make sure your chimney and vents have covers.