Ant Control 101: What Every Pottstown Homeowner Ought To Know

Having pests in your Pottstown home is frustrating. However, if there’s one pest particularly frustrating for homeowners, most would say ants. Trying to figure out how to get rid of ants on your own is even more mind-numbing.

The good news is that ants are the most common insect in the world, so if you’re finding them in your home, you can rest assured that your home isn’t the only one being bothered by ants. The “not so good” news is that despite their tiny size, they can cause significant problems in your home.

The most significant aspect to understand about ants is that they live in colonies, which can contain as many as 2,000 or more ants, depending on the species. So, if you see an ant or two in your home, a colony is likely nearby, and they are searching for food to return to their nest. Seeing ants in your Pottstown home directly indicates that you need to seek ant pest control as soon as possible.

These tiny critters can crawl through minor cracks or crevices in search of food, and once they find what they are looking for, they’ll scent trail for the other ants in their colony to follow. That’s when you’ll look up and see dozens of ants when previously, you only saw a few. From there, serious ant problems start to become prevalent in your home.

Prevention will always be better than finding a solution. Your best preventive strategy against ants would be to have your home regularly treated for them. As your Pottstown pest control experts, Terra Pest Management Specialists are here to restore peace to your home that ants have taken away. We offer year-round pest control plans that eliminate troublesome pests and help keep them from returning. Call to schedule your inspection.

Characteristics Of Common Ants

Even though there are more than 700 different ant species in the United States, only about 25 of them regularly infest homes. Ants are social insects that usually have a queen and workers in underground colonies. Ants will consume almost any food, but sweets particularly draw them. Aside from ants being notorious for marching in single file lines, one by one, and crashing picnics, these pests have some well-known characteristics. Their three distinct body regions—head, thorax, abdomen, and antennae, make ants relatively easy to identify.

Ants have similar structures, but their overall appearance varies. There are different species of ants, such as brown ants, black ants, or small or large ants. The size of ants varies depending on the species. You may encounter multiple ants live in colonies that can number in the hundreds of thousands. They are most likely to be found inside the home in the kitchen and bathrooms because these are the rooms closest to food and moisture sources.

Contact Terra Pest Management Specialists as soon as you notice any indications of an ant infestation in your home. We will examine your home, identify the species of ants, and recommend a plan for ant extermination and control.

The Many Problems An Ant Infestation Can Create In A Home

Ants rarely bother humans in their natural environments. However, ants that invade homes can quickly become an annoyance and, more importantly, present severe risks to the health and property of the occupants. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) advises homeowners to take proactive measures to get rid of ants as soon as they appear to prevent the growth of a significant infestation.

Depending on the type of ant that has infested your property, they can be hazardous to your family and home's health. There are health problems linked to ant infestations, such as:

Food contamination
Property damage
Bites and stings
Allergic reactions

Because ants are social insects forming large colonies, an infestation that initially seems minor can quickly become a significant pest issue for homeowners. Identifying the species is one of the first steps in getting rid of an ant infestation, but with more than 700 species in the United States, it can be difficult for someone without the proper training.

You can reduce the risks to your health and home from ants by working with a pest professional like the Terra Pest Management Specialists to help identify and treat the problem. Call us right away.

Factors That Attract Ants Into The Home And How To Remove Them

An ant infestation is never pleasant, regardless of the time of year. You can't avoid an ant infestation, which is unfortunate for Pottstown homeowners. Even though it can be challenging to protect your home from these tiny insects completely, understanding how they get inside can be an excellent place to start if you want to minimize ant invasions. Check out attractors of ants in homes, along with ant prevention tips below:

Problem: Sticky Garbage:

Ants are drawn to things containing sugar and don't have any problem foraging your trash can to get to your leftover food scraps.

Prevention: Try to keep in mind to regularly empty your trash cans, especially the ones in your kitchen. To prevent your trash from becoming an ant colony's buffet, sanitize your trash can once a week.

Problem: Improper food storage:

Ants require food and water to survive like any other living thing. Infestations are widespread in kitchens and other locations where you keep leftover food because they constantly search for food sources. Fortunately, this is one of the most common causes of ant infestations and is also one of the simplest to fix.

Prevention: Cleaning up kitchen spills regularly, putting food in airtight containers, and keeping fruits in the fridge when you can all help prevent ant infestations. To avoid these hungry pests from raiding your pantry for food, you can also put bay leaves in dry goods containers because they have a smell that most ants find repulsive.

Problem: Leaking faucets and pipes:

Some ant species require a consistent water source in addition to food. Hence, it's crucial to ensure water and moisture don't accumulate in commonly moist areas of your home, especially your kitchen and bathrooms.

Prevention: To prevent ants and other water-loving pests from stealing from your water bill, check your toilets and sinks for leaks, ensure windows are well-sealed and closed during wet weather, and look for other sources of moisture in your home.

Problem: Decaying wood near your home:

Leaky pipes or a heavy downpour can moisten the wood in and around your home just enough to make it the ideal hiding place for a colony of carpenter ants, a species that builds its nests in moist or decaying wood.

Prevention: Replacement of rotting wood in your home's framework and removing tree stumps and fallen branches from your yard are two preventative measures. These can assist in getting rid of carpenter ants' nesting areas. Additionally, keeping fire food at least 20 feet away from your house is a good idea.

Problem: Greasy surfaces:

Leftover grease or food residue is another less obvious food source in your kitchen that you need to be aware of. These inconspicuous leftover food particles, frequently found on your stovetop or the sides of food storage containers, are easily attractors of ants.

Prevention: Removing any potential sticky residue from syrup or honey bottles, jam jars, and other items is an excellent preventative measure. Always clean your stove top after cooking, especially when preparing foods like sauces and bacon prone to splatter; this will assist in getting rid of yet another potential food source that might be luring ants into your house.

To control an infestation, pest-proofing your home is a great place to start. However, if ants continue to invade, you might need to hire experts. Terra Pest Management Specialists are here to help if you need assistance permanently removing ants from your home. We provide Pottstown with quick and efficient pest control services that can permanently eradicate ant infestations.

The Most Effective Ant Control Method For Pottstown Homes

Every ant infestation is unique. You might notice a dozen ants appearing in the same location every few days. Still, the problem may exist within a sizable colony of hundreds or thousands of ants that you cannot see. Many important factors contribute to why you have an ant problem, including the weather, points of entry into your home, cleanliness, and other elements.

Naturally, ants may continue to appear no matter how many precautions you take to prevent them or even how many DIY ant removal attempts you make. With the assistance of an experienced professional, you can permanently repel ants. At Terra Pest Management Specialists, we treat ant control seriously and strategically. The health and safety of your home are our priority.

Don't hesitate to call us to learn more about how our ant control services will benefit your Pottstown home. Remember to ask about our free estimate and $25 off any new service coupon.

"Our technician shows up on time every time and is professional and courteous. Since getting the maintenance services, we no longer worry about “emergencies” as they are easy to reach and come out quickly if needed."

Mary W

"After getting quotes from multiple companies, Terra had the best value! Pat was thorough and explained each step of the process for us. The quarterly service is guaranteed. Highly recommend them!"