As far as troublesome pests go, ants may seem like a harmless critter, but for College Station residents, they can cause a lot more harm than you think. From carpenter ants that contaminate your food to fire ants that aren’t afraid to sting you or rover ants that are hard to control, you don’t want to leave any ant problem untreated.
Here’s what College Station homeowners need to know about what attracts ants, signs you may have an ant problem, how to keep them out, and how to handle an active ant infestation in your home.
How Ants Invade Your College Station Home
As small as they are, ants have far too many opportunities to get inside your Texas home. These pests are persistent, and they’ll find their way in through tiny cracks in your walls, spaces underneath your flooring, gaps in the foundation of your home, or even just by crawling through unsealed doors and windows.
There’s also the chance that ants may get accidentally carried inside through yard debris, houseplants, or old furniture. Fortunately, there are ways to help cut off an ants’ entry points:
- Seal any gaps or cracks in your walls or the foundation of your home with caulk.
- Add weatherstripping to the gaps underneath doors to prevent ants from crawling in.
- Repair any tears in windows or door screens that may be providing an entry point.
What Attracts Ants To Your College Station Home?
While they can end up in your home accidentally, most ants target your house for a reason: they’re looking for food and water. Leaky pipes can provide excess moisture for ants while unsealed or open containers of food can attract them as well.
Even leaving a drink spill too long can mean coming home to a line of carpenter ants on your countertop. Keep in mind that ants aren’t picky eaters – even pet food that’s left in your pet’s bowl can draw ants. Garbage cans or recycling bins that aren’t closed properly can be an issue too.
While getting rid of an ant infestation isn’t easy, there are steps you can take to eliminate attractions that may bring ants into your home in the first place:
- Repair leaky pipes or areas of excess moisture as soon as possible.
- Don’t leave open containers of food on your countertop and keep leftovers sealed in your pantry or fridge.
- Keep fruit in airtight containers.
- Clean up any spilled food or drinks immediately.
- Make sure your trash cans are sealed and regularly cleaned.
- Don’t leave pet food out in the open and clean up any spills that may accumulate around your pet’s bowl.
- Do regular deep cleans of areas that may get overlooked, such as your cabinets, pantry, or under the sink.
- Regularly sweep your kitchen and other rooms where you prepare or eat food.
Keep in mind that scraps can easily fall behind heavy appliances and lure ants in that way, so don’t overlook cleaning behind the fridge or the stove.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Ants In Your College Station Home
While the steps above can help prevent an ant infestation from happening in the future, they may not do much for an active infestation. Ants invade homes in large numbers and getting rid of an entire colony usually requires professional guidance from a pest control company like D. Lee Pest Services.
If you’re regularly seeing ants in your home, contact us at D. Lee Pest Services today and request an inspection and let us rid your home of these, and other common pests.