Whether you're dealing with odorous house ants or carpenter ants, these pests are never a pleasant sight for Rockville homeowners. Here's what you should know about identifying the type of ants in your home, the problems they can cause, and the best way to deal with an existing ant problem around your house with pest control in Rockville.
How To Identify The Type Of Ant Infesting Your Home
Although most ants are considered nuisance pests, having them in your Rockville home is never fun. For local residents, you'll need to be on the lookout for these types of ants:
- Argentine ants: As one of the most common species you'll encounter in Rockville, Argentine ants tend to be small – no more than a sixteenth of an inch – and are attracted to sweets and moisture sources.
- Odorous house ants: Similar to Argentine ants, odorous house ants are after the sweets you've got sitting out in your home. Most people can recognize this species by the rotten, musty odor they release when they're squashed.
- Fire ants: While you're less likely to encounter them than Argentine ants, fire ants are one of the less friendly species. Like Argentine ants, they are quite small, but these pests are fiery red and aren't afraid to sting. Some say they pack a punch that's more painful than a bee sting.
- Carpenter ants: Carpenter ants can be another big problem for Rockville homeowners. They will chew through the structural wood of your home and cause damage that way. Growing to be half an inch long, these ants can be recognized by their larger size.
Many of these ants are more than a nuisance. Regardless of the species it's worth taking steps to get and keep ants out of your Rockville home.
The Problems Ants Can Cause On Your Property
Some of the biggest problems ants can cause in your home include:
- They can contaminate your food and become a nuisance.
- Some ants are capable of spreading bacteria and might make you sick.
- Fire ants deliver painful stings and often swarm to protect their nests.
- Carpenter ants can nest in your wood and possibly cause structural damage.
From damage to disease to simply being a pain to put up with, ants have no place in your home.
How To Get Rid Of Ants For Good
They may just seem like a nuisance, but ants can turn into a lot more trouble than you might expect, especially when it comes to getting rid of them. The best way to deal with an ant infestation in Rockville is by leaving the legwork up to the residential pest control professionals at Womack Pest Control.
If you're spotting ants around your home, there's no reason to wait for the problem to worsen. Contact us at Womack Pest Control today for more information about our ant control service.
Natural Ant Prevention Tips For Rockville Residents
Given how small they are, ants are one of the trickiest pests to prevent since they don't need much space to squeeze through. And, if the infestation is small, you may not notice just a few ants around your home. As troublesome as they are, there are a couple of things you can do to avoid attracting ants into your home, such as:
- Don't leave food sitting out. If you leave food out too long, it is bound to attract ants. To avoid this, be sure to keep your leftovers and other food in airtight or plastic containers, including pet food.
- Store your trash properly. Even food in the trash can draw ants in, so you'll want to keep garbage bins sealed and empty them as soon as they're full.
- Deal with excess moisture. Excess moisture, like plumbing problems or damp rags and clothes, can all serve as water sources for ants. Deal with excess moisture issues as soon as you notice them.
- Seal off cracks and crevices. Ants need a way to get in, and the best way to block their access is by using a sealant like caulk to seal cracks and crevices near the foundation of your home.
Keep in mind that prevention won't be enough to deal with existing ant infestations, and you'll need to contact professional ant control in Rockville if ants are already inside your home.