An Ounce of Prevention, Ant Edition

You know the old adage: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We couldn’t agree more. Pests cause millions in property damage every year in America and Louisiana is uniquely hard hit. Thanks to our heat, humidity, and swamplands, we have a great breeding ground for all manner of pests.

You may be wondering what prevention methods you can use to keep ants at bay. There are some obvious tricks and some, not so obvious. Ants are uniquely qualified to damage your home as they are builders and they work hard. Worker ants only sleep around four hours per day. That leaves a whole lot of time in the day for burrowing into your walls and setting up shop in your home. Here are a few things you can do to prevent ants from making it inside:

Seal Food Completely

Chip clips, food saver bags, sealed jars, and plastic containers are all great ways to seal up your food. It is important not to make it too easy for pests to feast. They will take that as an invitation to stay. Stray snacks on countertops, coffee tables, and night stands will all convince ants that they are welcome in your home.

Check Your Window Screens

Even though the weather doesn’t always allow it, sometimes it’s nice to enjoy the windows open. If you don’t have screens in your windows, it’s too easy for bugs to make their way inside. Whether you care to think about it or not, there are species of ants that fly and most bugs are attracted to the lights that you keep turned on in your home. Having this simple barrier between inside and outside can help prevent an infestation.

Look Out for Scout Ants

Pay attention. Ants work as a team in their colony and they will send in scouts to find a new place to set up camp long before the colony moves in. If you notice the odd ant or two roaming around in your home, be sure to kill them quickly. You don’t want the colony getting the message that the queen ant will love your kitchen’s wallpaper.

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Cut Off Ant Trails

You may have noticed long lines of ants crossing your driveway or going through your grass at one point or another. These trails are made by the worker ants leaving trails of pheromones to mark a path to a resource. Think of it as an invisible road map that bugs use to tell each other where the good stuff is. The only way for humans to see these is by watching ants follow the trail. If you notice ants walking in a line towards your home, follow the trail and cut it off as soon as you can. There are many commercially available pesticides that can help with this or you can always just call us!

Poison Ant Hills

If you have ants in your yard, then it’s easier for them to get in your house. Make sure you check your yard for ant hills and handle them right away. If you see a mound forming in your driveway, you should know that it’s possible that those ants have an even bigger colony underneath the concrete, eroding the ground below. You can pick up ant chemicals at nearly any grocery store, convenience store, or home improvement store. Take care of them early and check back often.

These are just a few ways that you can prevent ants from setting up in your home. Seal your food, screen in your windows, keep an eye out for scouts, cut off ant trails, and poison ant hills as soon as you spot them! Save yourself time and money by preventing these pests from entering your home.

If you do have ants and don’t know what to do next, let us help! Give us a call today to set up an appointment.

An Ounce of Prevention, Ant Edition