Ant Identification & Prevention

Understanding Ants: What You Need to Know

Ants are troublesome insects commonly found in homes, restaurants, hospitals, offices, or any other building providing easy access to food and water. And while ants are helpful to the environment as they feed on other pests and contribute to the ecosystem, they can become a major problem in homes or businesses.

There are two categories of ants; those that live outside of a structure and only enter to search for food, and those that tend to live inside your home, creating colonies there and infesting areas with easy food access.

Around our area, the ant species you are most likely to encounter around your property are odorous house ants, pavement ants, field ants, carpenter ants, yellow ants, acrobat ants, and little black ants. Learn the most effective ant control methods in this guide.

Are Ants Dangerous? Understanding the Risks

Everyone knows that some ants can deliver annoying, itchy bites, but these bites can sometimes trigger allergic reactions, some severe enough to cause anaphylaxis. As ants invade interior areas, they also bring bacteria and pathogens inside with them, easily contaminating surfaces will illnesses such as salmonella and shigella.

Other ant species, such as the carpenter ant, will nest inside interior areas, chewing through wood and creating severe structural damage. Ants might also settle around warm electrical areas, causing shorts and costly property damage. A pest control treatment for your home is the only way to avoid these problems.

Identifying the Causes of Your Ant Problem

If you have an ant problem, your property is likely full of factors that attract these pests, such as easy access to food, water, and nesting areas. A major part of effective ant control is eliminating the factors that bring ants to your property to prevent an infestation.

Common Locations to Find Ants in Your Home

Outdoors, ants hide in nests underground, around piles of fallen fruit and debris, in woodpiles, or near outdoor waste disposal areas. Inside, you can find ants hiding in the voids between walls, around food storage areas, or anywhere that provides a secluded nesting space close to food.

Ant pest control professionals can help you narrow down your main ant problem areas in order to treat these pests effectively.

Effective Strategies to Get Rid of Ants

Getting rid of ants involves both indoor and outdoor ant control provided by Quality Pest Control. Our service specialists use methods such as Integrated Pest Management, liquid treatments and baits, and tailored strategies to prevent future infestations that all work together to protect your property from ants year-round.

Proven Tips to Prevent Future Ant Infestations

The following ant prevention tips can help you stop infestations of these pests from happening in the future.

• Seal cracks around windows, doors, and the foundation of your property to stop ants from invading interior spaces.
• Repair window and door screens in addition to installing weatherstripping to keep ants out.
• Store all leftover food properly and immediately clean up food and drink spills to stop the aroma from attracting ants.
• Make sure trash is disposed of promptly and seal trash bags tightly to reduce ant scavenging in waste disposal areas.
• Clear outdoor areas of debris piles and long grasses to remove ant hiding areas.
• Address moisture issues that contribute to damp or humid conditions that may attract ants.

If you have any more questions or need help with ant control in Omaha, don't hesitate to contact Quality Pest Control.