Ants are a nuisance pest no matter where they occur, from inside your house or out in your yard. It may seem impossible to keep these tiny black critters out of your home, but there are some things you can do to prevent infestation. From wiping up crumbs immediately to sealing entry and exit points, controlling the ant population in your Phoenix home is possible.
When things get out of control, though, call your trusted ant exterminator in Phoenix right away. Here’s your guide on everything you should know about ants in AZ.
What to Look For
The most common sign you have an ant infestation, of course, is seeing a large number of live ants crawling in or around your home.
Here are some other telltale signs:
- Ant trails: When worker ants leave their colonies to hunt for food, they leave pheromones behind so they can find their way back later. If you see these trails, you have ants.
- Ant nests: If you see lots of small piles of dirt in the grass, you have an obvious ant problem. But ant nests can also be built in walls and other dark, quiet places which are difficult to spot.
- Small dirt piles: Tiny piles of dirt, particularly near ant nest sites, indicate an infestation. You may even see them in your home, such as near baseboards.
- Sounds: Some ants hide out in walls, so if you listen closely and put your ear against the wall, you may hear rustling sounds, indicative of ants hard at work.
Causes and Prevention of Ants
From leaving food out to not taking out the garbage right away, much of what attracts ants can be eradicated with some simple lifestyle changes.
- Don’t leave food out: Ants need food and water in order to survive. This is what they want when they enter your home, so don’t make it easy to find those food sources. Concentrating mainly on the kitchen, clean up spills right away, keep fruit in the fridge, clean crumbs off the countertop, don’t let dirty dishes pile up in the sink, and be sure to store food in airtight containers.
- Clean greasy surfaces: Ants love grease and sticky food residue. Clean your stove top and even the sides of your fridge frequently. Wipe down honey bottles, jars of jelly and jam, and syrup containers. Wipe pasta sauce or bacon grease off surfaces after cooking.
- Take the garbage out: Rinse out soda bottles and jars before adding to the recycling, and wipe down trash bins to get rid of any sticky residue.
- Fix leaky pipes: Ants love water, so check your toilets and sinks for leaks and close all windows when it rains.
- Keep firewood away from your home: Ants will hang out in decaying wood, so don’t stack firewood close to your house. Keep it 20 feet away from the foundation if you can.
Treatment of Ants
There are many ways to kill ants, such as using sprays and gel bait traps. You can even try some non-toxic remedies, such as Diatomaceous earth (it dries out their bodies), ground black pepper, peppermint, tea tree oil, lemon eucalyptus essential oil, white vinegar and coffee grounds. You can even pour boiling water down any nests you see outside.
When these remedies don’t work, call an experienced ant exterminator in Phoenix to get the job done quickly and safely.
Common Ants in Phoenix
The most common ant species in Phoenix are:
- Southern Fire Ants: These ants have a yellow-red head and thorax, with a black abdomen. They nest in small mounds or in loose, moist soil patches.
- Harvester Ants: These ants are orange, red or brownish-black in color. They tend to remove vegetation near their nests, causing bare spots in your yard.
- Carpenter Ants: These ants are red, black or a combo of both. These nest builders chew through materials to make their nests.
- Odorous House Ants: These ants are brown or black, and they use existing structures to build their nests.
- Rover Ants: These ants are black, dark brown, or pale blonde. They like to nest in urban areas.
- Pavement Ants: These ants are dark brown to black in color, and they prefer places where there is limited vegetation, such as pavement cracks and under stones.
Contact Ant Pest Control
Got ants on your property or in your house? Frontino can get rid of them no matter what species they are. Contact us for a free quote and ant inspection at 602-338-9223. Best ant exterminator in the Phoenix area.