Ants

An accessible food source is the primary cause of ant infestations. Leaving dirty dishes in the sink, food residue on countertops, crumbs on the floor, and trash not frequently emptied provide food sources for meal-seeking ants. What starts with a few foragers entering a home can become a major problem if they establish colonies in walls, lawns, or under home foundations.

Some common types of ants found in North America include carpenter ants, odorous house ants and pavement ants. Carpenter ants pose additional concern because they can be structurally damaging. This can include details about species like odorous house ant, carpenter ant, and pavement ant. Odorous house ants do not bite or sting but can be a nuisance due to their shear numbers. They often enter your home where your structure has contact with vegetation. Pavement ants nest and mine sand from under rocks, concrete slabs, patios, sidewalks driveways or in basements. These ants will forage your home for food and will feed on anything sweet or greasy.

There are many things you can do to prevent any infestations. Seal food tightly and keep your kitchen and trash areas clean. Ants need water to survive so eliminate water sources and seal all entry points such as windows, doors, cracks and crevices. Keep your distance by keeping landscaping and vegetation at least 18 inches from your structure. Use ant traps where they are most often seen and ant spray in cracks where ants can enter your home

Seeing ants or ant trails inside your home is the most obvious sign of infestation. Ants leave pheromone trails to signal to other ants the location of food or a potential nesting site. Descriptions of visible trails, nests, and damage caused by them. Ant trails, nests, and wood shavings or saw dust are some more serious signs of an established infestation.