A Guide To Managing And Preventing Ants In Your Rockville Home
Ant control in Rockville can be a big challenge for the average DIY-er, but it’s no problem for pest control pros. That gap between DIY and professional control has a lot to do with the unique habits and behaviors of ants.
Ants march to the beat of their own drum, and when we say march, we really mean it. Ants are highly organized, and they live in highly structured societies. Unfortunately for humans, an ant problem can quickly get out of hand if we leave these pests to their own devices.
But if you’re struggling with an ant problem in your home, don’t worry. This guide will offer useful information on ant behavior and key factors that attract ants to homes and let them enter without our knowledge. We’ll also discuss the importance of professional ant control from Womack Pest Control for Rockville homeowners. Let’s get started.
How To Identify Common Types Of Ants In Your Home
Knowing how to identify common types of ants in the Rockville area is important for assessing risk, and it can also inform future prevention efforts. Identifying an ant problem with certain species can also be a clue to look for signs of property damage, but more on that in a moment.
Let’s start with Argentine ants. These are generally small ants, between 2 to 3 mm long, and are usually dark brown. Otherwise, these ants look typical, and they’re not known for causing significant property damage, though they can spread germs.
Carpenter ants are a highly problematic species for homeowners, as they can cause significant property damage by chewing tunnels through wood objects and structures, including the wooden support beams inside your home. Visually speaking, carpenter ants have a distinctive heart-shaped head and are much larger than Argentine ants.
Odorous house ants usually appear similar to many other ant species, but as you may have guessed based on their name, they cause a strong, unpleasant smell when crushed.
Pavement ants are similar to these other species in coloring and size but have distinctive hairs on almost every part of their bodies. Keep in mind that you might need to use some form of magnification to actually see these hairs.
If you’re unsure about the type of ants in your home, you can take a photo and compare it to resources online or request an inspection from a local pest control company.
Why And How Ants Find Their Way Into Your Homes
We can all agree that ant infestations are a problem, but how does an ant infestation develop in the first place? Most ants have similar strategies when it comes to entering homes, and these strategies rarely include asking for permission.
Here is a list of ways that ants can enter your home. Make these entry points a primary focus of your ant prevention efforts:
- Underneath doors
- Through cracks around window frames or through damaged window screens
- Through gaps in outer walls, near electrical conduits, pipes, etc.
- Through cracks in a home’s foundation
- By hiding on clothing or in grocery store produce
As for why ants want to enter our homes, it always comes down to food, water, and shelter. Ants are attracted to various sources of food and water, and they’ll work hard to gain access to them. But if you block their entry routes, you’ll be able to maintain an ant-free home.
Why It Is So Difficult To Get Rid Of Ants On Your Own
Unfortunately, DIY ant control is rarely effective. It might take care of a small handful of ants, but it almost never addresses the entire colony.
Why is this? Why is it so difficult to completely remove ants? It’s mainly because ants are well organized. Each ant has a specific job, and swarms of worker ants can identify threats to the colony. Even if their nest is disturbed, the surviving members can quickly build a new one.
Fortunately, professionals can identify problem areas and take steps to remove all ants rather than just the visible ones.
Call Us At The First Sign Of An Ant Problem Around Your Home
It’s best to contact a pest control service in your area as soon as possible to get rid of ants; we want to stress this point. The earlier you take action, the better.
Womack Pest Control pest management specialists can assess the situation and, as discussed previously, enact an ant control plan that removes ants as quickly and efficiently as possible, letting your home return to normal.
Searching for an ant exterminator near you? Just call Womack Pest Control, and we’ll be happy to help you.