Control Ant Infestations with These Tips from a Pest Control Service in Alaska

There are several reasons why ants might come inside your home. They may be cold, hot or hungry, or worse, they’re scouting out comfortable spaces to grow their colony. Luckily, you can proactively avoid ant infestations in your home by taking some preventative measures. With this in mind, let’s get some information from a pest control service in Alaska. Here is some must-know information about ants, as well as tips for how to control an ant infestation in your home.

Signs of an ant infestation

The most obvious sign of an ant infestation is seeing them, dead or alive, within your home. You may catch sight of a trail of ants marching to and from food sources inside your house. That trail could be going back to a nest inside the walls or outside the structure, so follow it and see where it leads. Mounds of dirt, sand or other types of soil around your property could mean there’s a larger ant nest.

However, some species, like carpenter ants, will nest in vents and other hard-to-see areas of your home. In cases of large nests, you may even hear ants inside the walls or notice piles of wood shavings near exterior walls where ants have been tunneling.

What to do to control an infestation

Two main types of ant problems exist: Ants that have built a nest inside your home, and ants that live outside but forage for food inside. Not only will your ant control strategy depend on the type of infestation, but quite often the kind of ant that’s wreaking havoc as well. You might be able to identify the type of ant by looking at the ant trail and nest. A professional should be able to identify them almost immediately:

• Seal up entry points: Ants can get through the littlest cracks and crevices in walls, foundations and window frames. Seal off as many of these entry points as you can using caulk or weather stripping.
• Clean areas: After you’ve sealed up cracks, use soap and water to clean around the areas to wash away any scents the ants may have left behind. They won’t be able to find the trail to get inside your home again. Additionally, clean up food messes in the kitchen or anywhere else right away to avoid attracting ants.
• Get rid of moisture: Since ants need moisture to survive, eliminate their access to it. Fix pipe and faucet leaks around your home, make sure rain gutters and downspouts are draining away from the house and use a dehumidifier to reduce indoor moisture.
• Remove sources of food: Keep all food, including pet food, in airtight containers. Take out the garbage regularly, because the odors can draw ants.

It’s easy to assume you can handle an ant problem on your own. After all, they’re just tiny little critters, right? While you may have killed some, that doesn’t mean the colony is gone, or that you have eliminated the infestation. To ensure their fate, call and schedule an appointment with Pied Piper Pest Control. We are your go-to professional pest control service in Alaska!

Categorised in: Pest Control

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