Do you feel as though your home is flooded with ants? It may be that you just don’t feel as though you can get rid of them and that you have no idea what steps to take from here. Either way, now is the time for you to change that. If you follow this guide, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to not only get the result you need but to also make sure that you limit damage as much as possible.
Identify the Ant
One of the first things you need to do is identify the ant. You need to know what you are up against so you can make sure that you aren’t making a mistake with the way you handle the issue. At the end of the day, different species of ants behave very differently from one another. You need to know what you are up against so you can deal with things effectively. Since there are only a handful of ants that will probably live in your area, this makes your job a lot easier. If you want to try and identify what you are up against then one thing you can try is snapping a picture. The great thing about this is that it allows you to count the number of nodes on the petiole or the stalk that connects the chest to the stomach. Ants might look very similar but if you were to show the picture to an entomologist then things like this do matter. If you can get a good picture then this allows you to study it properly, so you can find out what you are dealing with. This can be a great way for you to get the result you need and it can work in your favor more than you realise.
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Note Where they Are
Another thing you need to do is take note of where the ants are. If you see ants in the kitchen then there is a high chance that they live nearby. It may be that they are in the foundation of your home or that they are inside your home already. Sugar ants are common but at the same time, they can include several species of ants. You also have ghost ants and Argentine ants. Learning how to get rid of ghost ants is very different from learning how to get rid of carpenter ants, so make sure that you keep this in mind. Ants will also be following a line of other ants. You need to trace the trail back if you can, so you can make sure that you take reasonable steps to combat them.
If you know that you have a lot of ants in the home then it may be that the infestation has escalated. In instances like this, you may need to try and call in the experts. When you do, they can recommend different options to help you treat the issue at the source. Things like this can help you to get the best result out of your pest infestation and they can also deal with it in the shortest space of time. If you suspect that you have a big infestation then you may notice that your walls are damaged and that there are also wood shavings on the floor in certain areas. This is a sign that the ants have tunneled their way into your home and are leaving things behind. Things like this can also help you to pinpoint where the ants are coming from as well, so be sure to keep that in mind if you can.
Take Action
It’s also important for you to take action as soon as you can. For some species of ant, you will need to work as fast as possible. If the ants that you follow happen to be disappearing behind a very rotten window sill then this is probably their entry point. If you have carpenter ants then this is often how they gain entry into your home. Carpenter ants happen to build their nests in wood that has been water-damaged. In nature, this helps to break down any trees that might have fallen and it also means that damaged wood nutrients are absorbed back into the soil. In homes and various other buildings, this can weaken the structural timber and over time, if enough damage is done, it may even cause substantial damage to the building itself. If you want to do something here then again, the best thing you can do is call a pest control expert. If you don’t feel as though the issue is severe enough for this then you may be able to replace the damaged wood. Removing it entirely and putting down some putty over the remaining rotting wood may be enough to deter the ants if you are in the early stages of an infestation. If you are a little beyond this stage then it may be that you need to make further changes by putting down some bait. As carpenter ants specifically feed on wood, this can be a little more difficult, but it can be an option. Again, before you take action like this, then you need to make sure you understand the ants that you are working with so you can get what you want.
Bait Stations
Prepackaged bait stations are often the easiest way for you to eliminate ants from your home. For some species of ants, you do need to try and work fast. Most of the time, the ant colony will send out scouts, and they will be tasked with the job of finding food and then bringing it back to the nest. Ants are normally attracted to sweets in the spring as this is usually when they need to use their energy to start working. Toward the summer and into the fall on the other hand, their diet will change, and they may start to gravitate towards protein as they need this to reproduce. If you aren’t sure what the ants you have are going for then there is a very simple test you can do. Put down some peanut butter and then some honey in a different spot. You can then put down some fried food. If you do this then you can see what they go for. From there, you can then buy the right bait. A lot of the time, it may be that the bait has a note saying that it kills common and sweet-eating ants.
You can also try your DIY bait stations if you want. The great thing about doing this is that you can probably save money, but you do need to be mindful of what you are working with. If you try your DIY solution but then come to the conclusion that it isn’t working, you may find that you have just wasted a lot of time, and this can impact the severity of the infestation you are dealing with. Serious infestations of carpenter ants are the last thing you want to be dealing with, as they are so aggressive and you may find that they end up tearing your home to pieces. If you can take the time to identify the ants you have and come to the conclusion that you aren’t working with anything too dangerous then this should allow you to take steps so you can conclude the type of treatment is best for you and the pests you are dealing with.