Pest Control To Get Rid Of Ants (Lewisville Exterminators)

With an estimated total ant population of 1 quadrillion, there are more ants than any other type of creature on the planet. They have been around since the Jurassic era, and have crawled alongside the dinosaurs millions of years ago.

Ants are truly polarizing insects. On one end of the spectrum, there are those who see ants as beneficial insects, as well as good role models. On the other end, there are those who see ants as pests who steal our food and bite us without provocation. So, which one accurately describes ants then? Do not be confused. Both are in fact, correct.

Though ants can be such pests when they invade homes, and some species like fire ants and carpenter ants can be deadly and damaging, ants are mostly beneficial.

Ants become pests when they get near residential areas. That is when the real trouble comes in. In this article, we will discuss what pest control to utilize when you are under attack by ants; but first, let us know more about these tiny creatures.  

What Are Ants?

There are more than 10,000 identified species of ants that can be found all throughout the world, save for Antarctica. Their scientific name is Formicidae and they belong to the insect order Hymenoptera. A lot of people confuse them with termites, but they are actually close relatives of the bees and wasps. They are small insects, their size range from .08 to 1 inch.

Since they eat almost anything, they are classified as omnivores. Most of their species are found in the tropical forests, making up around half of the insect population and are beneficial to the ecosystem.  

Ant Colonies

Ants are known to be hardworking insects, and they are also known to work well as a team.  In an ant colony, ants are assigned tasks, and they happily do these tasks so that their colonies would survive. They have this “colony first” attitude, and each individual is willing to sacrifice its own life so that the colony could live.

An ant colony has a queen. Usually, there is only one queen, but there are some ant species that have more than one. The queen’s role—which is its only role—is to lay as many eggs as she can. This is to ensure the survival of the colony. Initially, she cares for her offspring, but eventually, that task would be delegated to her workers.

The colony’s workers are the queen’s female offspring. These female ants are sterile, and they do all the dirty work. The worker ants forage for food, clean the nest, feed the queen, care for the young, provide food for the colony, protect their nests, and even invade other colonies for their food and eggs. The eggs would be taken care of until they hatch and become adults to become among their workers.

The male ants in the colony have an easier life. All they need to do is to mate with the queen. After mating, the male ants die.  

How Are Ants Beneficial?

We want to be fair to everybody. Ants are very helpful to the environment; they really are. We can tell you how they contribute to the ecosystem:

1. Ants help prevent soil compaction by aerating the soil by digging tunnels through it, thus allowing moisture to get to the roots of the plants.  

2. Ants clean up organic wastes, decomposing bodies of animals and insects, and organic wastes.

3. When they bring in leaves and insect decay into their nests, these turn into fertilizers for the surrounding plants.  

4. Ants prey on insects that are pests in the garden. They also unwittingly pollinate plants and flowers while in the process of gathering food.  

5. Ants themselves are prey to many creatures, like birds, insects, and mammals, thus ensuring the survival of these creatures.

What Do The Presence Of Ants Indicate?

The presence of a long line of ants may indicate an underlying problem inside your home. Their sudden convergence might indicate that there is something dead inside your house, and you will have to look for it. Do not worry, with the long line of ants, it would be easy for you to find it. It could be a dead mice, rat, cockroach or spider. It could also be food that fell off from the table and has probably already begun to rot. Whatever it is, just follow the ant trail.

If you see a line of ants moving up and down a plant, there could be aphids, mealy bugs, or other plant-damaging insects there that you may need to act on. Ants are attracted to these insects because they produce honeydew which they use for food.  

What Damage Can Ants Do To Us?

Ants are omnivores, so they basically eat almost anything. However, there are some types of food that they prefer over the others. Ants are usually attracted to sweets, proteins, fats, and oils. During the hot weather, they will also search for water. The search for food and water brings them to our homes.

Ants send out individual patrollers to scout for a food source. Once a patroller finds food, it will send out pheromones to signal to the rest of the ants.  In a matter of minutes, swarms of ants would surround a food item. This makes them such a nuisance to have around the house.

In terms of destroying structures, termites have that reputation; but do you know that ants can cause more structural damage to buildings than termites.  In the United States, ants cause millions of dollars in damage in homes and office buildings every year. They build nests in walls foundations, and in small cracks and crevices in walls. Ants are known to attack electric outlets, because, for some reason, they are attracted to electric wirings. The carpenter ants, known to be the most destructive among ants, boreholes in the wood, causing extensive damage.

Some ants are deadly and can kill humans, like the fire ants. Fire ants are very aggressive. Their stings will produce welts and pustules that will resolve on its own. However, fire ants can cause death in about 5% of the reported cases. Fire ants can kill, not just small animals, but human beings.

Ants nesting outdoors can also be a problem. They usually nest in the soil and this damages the soil, making it uneven and too soft.  

Pest Control For Ants

Ants can really be annoying insects inside the house. They steal our food and inflict pain with their bites. Not to worry though, as there are many ways you can prevent ants from happening to your home.

Here are a few tips to get rid of ants at home:

1. If you see a single ant roaming around your table, do not think it just got lost and is just trying to find its way back home. It is looking for something to eat. Kill it at once before it calls for reinforcement. 

2. Put your food in sealed containers. Seal them tightly so they cannot get inside the containers.  

3. Seal off cracks, crevices, and holes. These might be used as entry points for ants.  

4. Practice good housekeeping. Regularly sweep and mop the floors, and use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum carpets, couches, sofa, and other furniture.  

5. Remove sources of water.  Food and water are their main reasons for attacking homes. Fix leaky faucets and pipes, and wipe off any drink spills. Get rid of standing water.

6. Use some diatomaceous earth on areas where you think ants frequent. Diatomaceous earth is made from fossilized remains of diatoms. They are like little shards of glass, so when ants crawl on it, it would cause cuts on their bodies, causing them to dehydrate and die. Choose food grade diatomaceous earth so that it will be safe around kids and pets. You can purchase this from a local gardening store near you.

These tips will certainly help you in getting rid of ants in your house. However, if your ant infestation problem has become too much for you to handle, then it is time to call in the professionals. And you would not want just any professional out there; you want the best. For the best pest control experts in Lewisville, call Go-Forth Pest Control.

Go-Forth Pest Control Is The Best

Go-Forth Pest Control is the best pest control company not only in Lewisville but in the entire Triad area as well. The company has highly skilled and well-trained professionals, using only the latest and most advanced technology in the business. They have been in this business since 1959.

For more information, call Go-Forth Pest Control now!