If you want to say goodbye to the ants in your home, then say hello to ant control in Reno. While ants can cause all kinds of problems for the average homeowner with a busy schedule, they’re no match for skilled and reliable Reno pest control professionals at Frontier Pest Control.
Understanding differences in ant species, the symptoms of an ant presence, and effective prevention make it that much easier to successfully overcome a colony of pernicious ants. All of this information is what we will be sharing with you today.
So join us for an introduction to the essentials of ant control for homes in the Reno area. By the end, you’ll know how to keep ants away and when to call in some extra help.
Identifying Common Ant Species
When identifying specific types of ants, consider the following key factors: their appearance, size, and behavior. Based on these traits, you can at least get a sense of which species you might be dealing with, which can also inform your pest control decisions.
For example, carpenter ants, common in the area, are about half an inch long at most and have dark coloring, as well as bent antennae. Pavement ants, though they can be similar in color, are generally smaller, at just a tenth of an inch long. These ants also behave differently, especially when it comes to building colonies and looking for sources of food. Carpenter ants famously “chew” through wood inside homes, potentially causing structural damage. Pavement ants, on the other hand, just look for food throughout your home and quickly grow their colonies. But that doesn’t mean that certain ant infestations shouldn’t be considered serious. Here’s why.
Ants In The Home Can Be A Bigger Problem Than You Think
An ant infestation can quickly lead to serious issues, both in the short and long term. For one, ants can contaminate the areas they frequent, which is an especially big problem when they come into your kitchen and other areas where food can be found. Ants might even find their way into foods you’re keeping in your cabinets, crawling into large bags of rice or cereal. It goes without saying, but if you find ants in your food, you should dispose of it immediately and disinfect nearby surfaces.
Earlier, we touched on how carpenter ants can cause structural damage to your home, which can, of course, lead to costly repairs and a general devaluation of the market value of your property. Other ant species are also capable of stinging humans, and in certain individuals, these stings can lead to serious medical issues.
So you can see just how much trouble ants can cause just by being in your home and going about their business. This is why ants should be dealt with as quickly as possible.
Contact The Professionals At The First Sign Of Ants
Ant control in Reno can resolve all the problems that ants bring with them, but for quick and efficient removal, it’s extremely important to contact professionals immediately after noticing the signs of an infestation.
Ants are hard workers, and they tend to reproduce very quickly. This means that ant colonies can expand rapidly, which worsens the negative effects they bring to your home.
The earlier you catch a developing ant infestation in your home, the better. Stopping an ant problem when it’s still in its early stages saves money and time, and it also lets you get started with key ant prevention strategies. Let’s talk about some of those strategies now.
Tips To Prevent Ants From Returning
If you’re looking to prevent ants from coming back to your home in the future, stick to these ant prevention tips:
Regularly check around your doors and windows, repairing any gaps or openings you notice.
Clean fallen tree fruit from your yard. This is especially important for outdoor ant control.
Look for leaking pipes or hoses that might be providing ants with fresh water. Repair these leaks as soon as possible.
Always clean food from both outdoor and indoor areas once you’ve finished eating. Even the smallest crumbs could attract a whole colony of ants.
Contact Frontier Pest Control today for help with ants and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Reno.