Ant Identification & Prevention

Many species of ants live worldwide; each species displays unique behaviors, food preferences, and nesting habits. While ant species are unique, what many species have in common is that they have adapted to living with people. Some of the most common types of ants to become a problem in and around our Georgetown homes include:

• Fire ants
• Carpenter ants
• Odorous house ants
• Tawny crazy ants

An interesting fact about ants is that they are closely related to bees and wasps. Ants, bees, and wasps have three body segments and narrow waists. While most ants are not winged, the reproductive members of ant colonies have wings. Winged ants swarm from a mature ant nest to find a mate, build a nest, and begin a new colony.

Ants are more annoying than dangerous. For example, an odorous house ant infestation is annoying and problematic but not dangerous. When odorous house ants are crushed, they emit a foul odor. While having these smelly ants in your home is a nuisance, it isn't dangerous.

However, the reverse is true if fire ants or carpenter ants live in or around your home. Both species are less of a nuisance and more of a danger. Fire ants are tiny aggressive ants that deliver painful, venom-filled stings. Just walking past their nest could elicit an attack. Carpenter ants nest inside pieces of wood. When these large ants get into our homes, they can decide to stay and nest within structural wood, over time causing costly damage.

The simple truth is that ants living in or around our homes should never be ignored. They multiply quickly, contaminate food, and are frustrating to eliminate and control.

Ants can become a problem in any of our yards or homes. Both offer ants a choice of appropriate nesting sites, multiple food sources, and places to access water (leaky pipes, hoses, and air-conditioners). Ants are omnivores and have a very varied diet. Leaves, seeds, nectar, honeydew, and other small insects comprise the bulk of their diet. When ants live near people, they can consume the same sweets, proteins, and carbohydrates we do and will forage for food in trash cans, outdoor eating areas, gardens, kitchens, and pantries.

Most ants nest under the ground. Some, like fire ants, build their nests in the soil in sunny open areas. However, most ants prefer to nest in damp soil under leaf piles, fallen trees, woodpiles, rocks, and landscaping ties.

Ants move back and forth from their nest to their found food sources every day. Their strength, determination, and ability to work together as a team help ants gather enough food to feed colonies with hundreds of thousands of members.

As worker ants move around searching for food to bring back to the nest, food odors and moisture can draw them to our homes. They move indoors through small openings they come across in the exterior. If ants find food in your home, they will alert the rest of the colony by laying down a pheromone trail. Ants will keep returning to any home or yard that offers their colony reliable food sources.

Georgetown Pest Control is dedicated to going above and beyond to guard people and property against pests. Trust us to successfully remove unwanted ants from your property and offer a long-term solution against ants and other common household pests.

To get rid of ants, we begin by performing a thorough interior and exterior inspection of your home. During the inspection, we will identify the ants present, harborage spots, and entry points. After performing an initial treatment, we return quarterly to provide ongoing pest control services. For the most effective home pest control and commercial pest control in Georgetown, call us today and schedule an inspection for your home!

Making your property as unappealing to ants as possible is critical to stopping them from invading and taking over. Use the following ant prevention tips to avoid issues with ants. 

• Eliminate food odors by keeping lids on trash cans and recycling bins.
• Maintain and regularly harvest gardens.
• Keep your grass cut short and reseed bare spots in your lawn.
• Create a crushed stone barrier between soil or grass and your home's foundation.
• Remove dead or fallen trees from your property.
• Make it difficult for ants to get into your home by repairing cracks and other openings that develop in its exterior. 

For the best ant prevention in Georgetown, partner with us at Georgetown Pest Control.