What Ant Control Companies Want You to Know

Ants may seem like just a nuisance, but most ant control companies in the greater Richmond, Virginia, area will warn you that they can do some major damage. If they’re carpenter ants, they can eat through the structure of your home. In addition, all ants are know to bite, especially fire ants. Whether they gnaw away at your home’s baseboards, bite your children’s ankles, or get into your pet’s food, ants spell trouble.

Even worse, if you see one ant, more than likely there are hundreds – even thousands – lurking nearby. That’s why they are so hard to eradicate; there are lots of them, they are small, and it’s difficult to find their nests.

Here, then, is the skinny on ant species you might encounter:

• Carpenter ants: These ants burrow through wooden structures to form tunnels for building their nests and can cause a lot of damage.
• Fire ants: Disturb their nest, and they’ll attack you in full force. Their painful stings, which can last for days, can be itchy and prone to infection.
• Flying ants: If flying ants are looking for a place to breed, your house may be the perfect spot, resulting in an infestation.
• Black ants: These pests are scavengers and travel in packs, infesting homes and contaminating food.

Get Ready for an Ant Invasion

If an ant colony invades your house, 10,000 to 50,000 ants could overrun your home. While their primary colony might be outside, they are known to establish satellite colonies indoors. If they decide to take up permanent residence in your home, then you will need a licensed Richmond, Virginia, ant control company to eliminate them, which requires finding and destroying all their nests.

So, how do you know if ants have taken up residence in your home? Ant control companies look for six telltale signs.

1. Live ants: Many live ants can be a clear indication of an ant infestation, especially if they are found in kitchens or other areas with food.
2. Pathways: If ants are following the same path, it’s a sign that a scout ant has put down a pheromone trail to a food source to guide other ants from their colony.
3. Nests: A nest site can look like a small pile of soil or dirt. Some ant species like to make their homes in walls or other quiet, dark places, which can be difficult to spot.
4. Dirt: Small piles, usually found around nest sites, can indicate an ant infestation.
5. Discarded wings: Discarded wings on the floors and windowsills may be a sign of an ant invasion – or worse, a termite infestation – and you should call an ant control company immediately. Both ants and termites develop wings in their reproductive states. When a female matures, she leaves her home and finds a suitable spot to begin her own colony.
6. Scurrying in your walls: Homes often make several noises as they settle. However, rustling isn’t one of them. Ants constantly stay busy. As the male ants build the nest, they make a lot of noise. Put your ear to the wall if you think you hear sounds, and you will hear soft scurrying as they work. The colony will not take up more than one wall, so listen against others throughout your home if you feel unsure. If the rest remain silent, then do an online search for, “ant control company near me.”

Prevention is the Best Defense

More than anything, ants are attracted to easy-to-access food sources. So, seal food in airtight containers, don’t leave out your pet’s food overnight, and don’t leave behind any crumbs or traces of sweets and starchy ingredients.

In addition, check and seal any cracks and holes in the walls, floorboards, radiators, and other possible open points of entry. Also check for moisture problems on your wood structures. Damp or rotting wood and hollow doors are favorite breeding grounds for carpenter ants.

When to Hire an Ant Control Company

While taking on an ant problem yourself seems easy enough with all the over-the-counter products available today, most ant control companies agree that this can be a big mistake. If you are in the beginning stages of an infestation, household sprays won’t be enough to stop the invasion of ants. And once the infestation spreads through your home, the more difficult it is to stop the attack.

This is just one reason why you may want to hire a Richmond, Virginia, ant control company instead of trying to do it yourself. However, ant control companies offer other advantages, too.

First, DIY ant control methods often use poisons and sprays, which can be dangerous if not used properly. Ant baits and poisons can pose serious health risks if children or pets encounter them. Environmentally friendly green ant control companies – such as Eco Pest Control – use products that are safe for your family and pets.

Second, many ant sprays only work on contact, meaning you must find every ant in your home and spray the poison directly on them, which is something that isn’t going to happen. Even if you kill all the ants you can see, there are a bunch more ants hiding in places that you can’t see. Ant control companies find the source of your ant problem and eliminate the root cause.

So, the best time to hire an ant control company is as soon as you notice any ant activity in your home. The sooner you hire an ant control company for your greater Richmond, Virginia, home, the better chance you have of preventing a full-blown ant infestation.

How to Spot a Potential Ant Invasion

The beginnings of an ant infestation are different for every home, but there are a few signs you can look out for, including:

• Large ant hills in your yard: Small ant hills in your yard are usually not cause for concern, but if you spot a large ant hill, there’s a chance they might create a satellite colony indoors.
• Ants crawling on the outside of your home: If you see ants on the exterior of your home or on your driveway, that’s when you know they’re looking to create satellite colonies. They’ll usually enter your house through garage doors and then spread throughout your home from there.
• Ants inside your home: If you see many ants inside your home, then it’s likely they’ve already established a satellite colony. Call an ant control company immediately.

Why Hire a Professional Ant Control Company?

One of the biggest reasons to hire an ant control company is because they have the experience and knowledge to get rid of your ant problem quickly and efficiently. Ants can be difficult to get rid of, especially if you do not know what you are doing. An ant control company will have the right tools and products to do the job.

A professional ant control company can also show you where your home might be susceptible to other pests, such as mice and cockroaches. Entry points for ants can also be entry points for other pests, and signs of one pest can often lead to signs of another.

Another reason to hire an ant control company is because it can help prevent future ant infestations by identifying problem areas and taking steps to prevent ants from invading your home later.

If you are having an ant problem, then call Eco Pest Control, the leading ant control company in the greater Richmond, Virginia, area.

Why Eco Pest Control is the Leading Ant Control Company in the Greater Richmond Area

Think you have an ant problem? Rely on Eco Pest Control, the leading ant control company in the greater Richmond area. We give you four reasons why you can trust us to take care of your ant problem.

1. Our company provides staff with extensive training in the identification and treatment of ants that enables them to solve your most basic ant problems.
2. We invest in ongoing education to ensure our team of ant exterminators stay abreast of industry advances.
3. We offer free ant inspections, which come with complimentary ant extermination plans.
4. We offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. If you are not fully satisfied, we will come back for free. What else would you expect from the leading ant control company in Richmond, Virginia?

Resources

• Pest World: 8 Interesting Facts About Ants
• Quality Assurance Magazine: Ants: A Tiny, Relentless Pest
• EPA: Ants and Schools

Carpenter Ants in Action

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