Ants are a common household issue, particularly in the spring and summer. Although such pests are not as scary as cockroaches and termites, they come with some risks. These social insects build big colonies in and around homes. This means that they can quickly reproduce and overtake spaces where they have easy access to food.
Ants can live up to three years and carry food crumbs on their back up to fifty times their weight. If you spot them carrying a huge chunk of crumb, you know it takes a great deal of strength for these tiny pests to haul the items.
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The Risks Associated with Ant Infestations
Although ants are not as unwelcome as cockroaches, they come with unique problems. For instance, these hardworking insects make your home unpleasant and inhabitable. If you are dealing with a serious ant infestation, you fear bringing home items because ants will feast on them.
Given the size of ants, they can infest every space in your house. Although the house ant will not cause much damage, other species are more destructive. For instance, carpenter ants can cause costly damage because they can destroy wooden items to build their nests. In addition, ants may bring pathogens into your home that can make you sick.
Why Hire an Ant Exterminator
Your ant situation might be bad enough to contact us today. A lot of people wait until the issue has gone out of control before seeking expert help. But making the call early can save you money and time. Below are signs it’s time to contact a pest control professional:
- Your home’s foundation has been compromised by ants. If bigger carpenter ants are infesting your home, you cannot fight it without professional help. These pests are strong and can-do serious damage to your home’s foundation. DIY solutions such as the borax powder will just offer temporary relief and ants will usually come back in full force.
- Ants are raiding your food. Once ants get into your family’s food supply and force you to get rid of food items, hire a pest control service without hesitation. When it comes to ants, you need to locate their colony and get to the source.
- You get constantly bitten by ants. Some ant species will bite. Carpenter ants are aggressive species, although they often bite only when threatened. Still, these pests can come out swinging when you enter their perceived space. If you have been getting constant ant bites, you need help from experts.
- You are not aware of the problem’s severity. You may not know you have an ant issue in your house. What could start as a few ants could turn into a serious infestation. You spot trails of ants on your walls and across your bed, threatening your sanity. It is best to have a professional assess the ant situation in your house and help you address the issue.
- You have vulnerable family members. Using store-bought insecticides to fight ants can be problematic if somebody in your house has asthma or other health issues. If a loved one has a compromised immune system or breathing, get advice from a pest control technician instead of using chemicals.
- You need long-term ant treatment. if you have been dealing with ants for a long time without relief, contact a trained exterminator. The exterminator’s expertise in this area is difficult to beat. Throwing all forms of bait and sprays at ants can waste money. Professionals will get the job done right the first time. This is not to say over-the-counter bombs and sprays never work; however, every situation is unique. You must determine the species of ants to treat, the spots they frequent, and if they have done structural damage. Such problems should be left to the pros.
