As summer comes around again, so do ants. As temperatures rise ants come out in search of a good source of food, and in their hunt for the best living conditions often find themselves warmly welcomed by the nourishment, warmth, and shelter unknowingly afforded by our homes and garages. Once one worker locates optimal conditions for its colony, it’s not long before the news is broadcast and a whole host of the insects have followed the trail to our living spaces. An ant infestation near our homes poses serious problems, which is why it is important to understand the preventative and ant-repellent measures that can be taken to deter infestations, or in the event of infestation to understand the right measures, and possess the right tools to safely and effectively destroy the infestation in the manner of a professional ant exterminator.
Finding a Nest: locating the source of the problem
When leaving the nest in search of food ants leave behind a scent trail between the food source and their colony. These trails become common highways for ants, so following these from your home will take you straight to their nests. Open doors, windows, and small cracks and holes in walls are common places to find ants in large numbers as they bottleneck into the home. Following trails from these locations will lead you straight to the nest. Finding the nest allows you to strike at the source of the problem.
Exterminating a Nest: tackling the heart of the problem
Though attacking an ant’s home directly with hot water or alternative liquid solutions may damage their nest, there are many more unseen and adaptable ants that can quickly reorganise a colony. To remove rogue ants in the home rapid-action contact killers will work quickly. However, to hit the problem at its source and exterminate an ant nest thoroughly is it best to use a poisoned bait. Poisoned baits are formulated to act slowly, drawing out as many ants as possible and allowing them to transport the poison back to their nests where it can be circulated throughout the society of workers, flying males, and queens for maximum effectiveness. Once the nest has been dealt this blow, additional protection to the house can be provided by outdoor ant killer powders which provide protection to the outer perimeter of your home.
Preventative Measures: creating a discouraging habitat
Though there are many ant species with unique preferences, there are several basic concepts to allow you to prevent ants’ entry into your home in the first place. Firstly, sealing small cracks and openings in walls and foundations, and around windows and window sills can prevent lone ants entering to forage, before they bring with them a colony. Another discouraging measure is to control moisture round the house, leaking sources of water provide important points of hydration to ant colonies, in their absence ants will have to seek a home elsewhere. Most importantly, removing any foods, greases, or sugary substances, along with sensible waste disposal will prevent sweet scents from luring ants into the home. After removal, cleaning areas where waste and ants have been will ensure no traces remain of either sugars, or the ants own trail of pheromones, which are otherwise used to guide other workers. After this, the use of ant killer powders will act as a final additional layer of discouragement, ensuring that the ants know that they best seek a home elsewhere.
