When you walk into a room and find hundreds, or thousands, of ants crawling around, do you know why you're seeing those ants? Are you aware that those ants probably came from a nest outside your home? Do you realize that it is likely that they mobilized a giant army because they found a food source? This is often the case. While you can have an ants' nest inside your home, most of the time ant infestations originate from a nest outside. This is why ant prevention begins on the inside of your home. Here's how it works.
Sanitation
Have you heard that you can prevent ant infestations by keeping things clean? Do you know why? It is because poor sanitation provides food sources for ants. When scout ants explore your home and find a source of food, they let other worker ants know about it. Consider these tips for cleaning up potential food sources and keeping scout ants from ringing the dinner bell:
- Clean counters and floors of crumbs. As an example, the crumbs under your toaster will provide a source of carbohydrates for ants. By keeping crumbs cleaned up, you remove this source.
- Mop floors and wipe surfaces. A blotch of ketchup on the floor or on the side of your trash can will quickly attract ants because of its sugar content, but also because of its potent smell.
- Keep trash in a covered container and routinely dispose of trash. Rotting organic matter in your trash produces a strong scent that lures ants, and most ants aren't nearly as picky about what they eat as we are.
- Vacuum your rug. You would be amazed at how many food options can be in your rug. It can also help to have a rule that no one eats outside of the kitchen.
- Clean your couch. You can find more than loose change in your couch. Under your cushions can be an incredible selection of delicacies for a tiny little ant.
Remove Or Protect Food Options
There are many ways you can put food out for ants to feed on. While we could provide a long list, these examples should help you to understand what you need to remove or protect.
- The food you put in your dog's or cat's dish can attract ants. Consider putting food down only during mealtimes.
- The stored food in your kitchen or pantry can attract ants. Consider storing food in sealed containers. This will keep smells in and ants out.
- The fruit in your fruit bowl. Do you leave fruit out on the kitchen island, kitchen table, or a counter in your kitchen? Ants might take notice as the fruit becomes overripe and starts to emit an odor they can detect. Consider putting fruit in the fridge, rather than on display.
Seal Potential Entry Points
If ants can get in, it is likely that they will. You can resist them by sealing gaps and cracks on the inside and outside of your home. Begin by sealing moisture points such as around the pipes that come in under your kitchen sink. Ants are attracted to moisture. Then seal around windows and doors and search for gaps in weatherstripping and underneath doors. Around the outside of your home, address cracks, gaps, and holes in your foundation walls or around exterior wall penetrations.
Where A Pest Professional Can Help
If you don't have time to keep things clean or seal entry points, ongoing pest protection around the exterior of your home can help to repel and eliminate ants. A professional can also reduce ant populations in your yard. Fewer ants outside will result in fewer infestations on the inside. Most importantly, a professional can protect your home from carpenter ants, and your family from fire ants. Reach out to Havard Pest Control if you live in Mississippi. We can guide you in setting up a pest control plan that will work to keep ants and other pests out of your home.