Many ants spend most of their lives outside and underground, only noticeable when they go into homes looking for food and water. These insects help when outdoors, recycling organic matter and mixing soil while tunneling. However, they can cause problems when they get into your house.
Most ants that get into your home are simply a nuisance, but some can spread illnesses in your household. Greensboro pest control professionals have the tools and expertise to eliminate an infestation in your house. Read on to learn more about why ants enter your home, the problems they cause, and how you can keep them out.
Why Are Ants Coming Into My Home?
The ants that break into homes are wingless female workers. They enter residences looking for food and water they can take back to feed their colony. Thousands of these ants travel in lines into your home, with the initial ants leaving a trail for others to follow.
Most of these ants nest outdoors and only enter homes to get food and water. However, some ants set up nests inside houses. Pharaoh ants, pavement ants, and carpenter ants are three species that commonly nest inside homes, which is why they are some of the few ants that cause damage to structures.
Ants In The Home Can Create Many Problems
Most invasive ants in Greensboro are no more than a nuisance. They’ll bite people if they feel threatened, but the main problem they cause is food and surface contamination. However, some ants can cause damage to your home.
Some of the ants that can be more than a nuisance include the following:
- Acrobat ants strip the insulation from electrical wires, which can result in short circuits and electrical fires.
- Carpenter ants tunnel into wood to nest, weakening the structural integrity of your house over time.
- Harvester and fire ants sting people, potentially triggering allergic reactions in those allergic to insect venom.
- Pharaoh ants can spread illnesses, including salmonellosis, staphylococcus, clostridium, and streptococcus.
Ant colony populations can reach the hundreds of thousands, and most are workers. As a result, these insects are hard to eliminate. When ants get into your home, call an effective ant control company like Go-Forth Home Services to remove the infestation and ensure they don’t come back.
How To Naturally Remove Factors That Attract Ants To Your Home
Once ants get into your home, you’ll need a pest control company to get them out. The best way to avoid this situation is to keep ants from entering your Greensboro home in the first place. Ants invade homes looking for food and water, so eliminating these factors will dissuade these pests from moving inside.
The following ant-prevention tips will enable you to remove these factors from your home:
- Fix leaking pipes.
- Seal cracks and gaps around doors and windows.
- Clean crumbs and spills off of surfaces.
- Store food in airtight containers.
- Properly store and dispose of trash.
- Keep firewood and tree branches at least 20 feet from your house.
While organic ant control for your home can help to keep these pests away, it isn’t guaranteed to avoid an infestation. If they do get into your house, call a Greensboro ant control professional to get them out.
Call The Professionals At The First Sign Of Ants In Your House
Most ants are a nuisance, breaking into houses for food and water to supply their colony, but some can cause damage to your home and belongings. At Go-Forth Home Services, our technicians will inspect your home to determine how ants are getting in and use state-of-the-art ant control solutions to get them out. Call us today to eliminate an ant invasion and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Greensboro.