Ants are a common pest problem faced by countless homeowners in Dallas throughout the year. These pesky insects are the cause of a lot of issues, and it’s important that you know how to deal with them properly.
In this article, we’ll focus on the basic principles of ant control in Dallas. We’ll start by examining some of the characteristics of the common house ant. Once you know how to identify these pests, we’ll talk about the dangers of having these ants in your home. After that, we’ll go over some of the preventative tactics you can use to keep ants from getting a foothold in your home.
Finally, we’ll review some ways our team at Addison Pest can help you get ants out of your home for good. We’re passionate about helping homeowners with any pest problem they might face, so let’s get started.
Characteristics Of Common Ants
The first step in any ant control process is knowing how to identify these pests quickly and accurately. In this article, we’ll discuss one particular species of ant common in the Dallas area – the odorous house ant.
Odorous house ants are named for the distinct smell they emit when crushed. You usually find these pests in moist areas, such as near water pipes, water heaters, or leaky faucets. They are typically brown or black, measuring between 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long. Odorous house ants move their nests multiple times a year in response to rain. They will eat almost any food, but they are usually partial to sweet foods, including honeydew.
In the next section, we’ll talk about the dangers this particular type of ant poses to your home.
How Dangerous Are Common House Ants?
Fortunately, unlike other species of ants, odorous house ants don’t bite or sting. They also don’t carry any diseases. They can impact your health by contaminating food that they infest. Eating food contaminated by ants can cause sickness and discomfort, and if an ant infestation persists, food loss could cause significant expense.
Odorous house ants are also difficult to completely get rid of because of their habit of moving their nests rather often.
Now that you know a bit more about how these ants can affect you, let’s discuss what you can do to deter these pests from invading your home.
Six Simple Ways To Deter Ants On Your Own
While professional pest control is the best method of permanently removing ants from a home, there are things you can do to keep these pests from gaining access to your home in the first place. When it comes to ant control for homeowners, here are some tactics you can implement:
- Store food in tightly sealed containers
- Clean up food spills right away
- Take out the trash regularly
- Trim tree branches and shrubs that grow too close to the home
- Seal any gaps or cracks in the exterior of your home
- Reduce excess moisture in and around your house
Following these tactics, you can protect yourself and your family from these pests. Finally, let’s outline the best way to get rid of ants in the home.
How Can I Permanently Get Rid Of Ants In My House?
Since 1986, Addison Pest has been helping local homes and businesses eliminate pests of all kinds. Our highest priority has always been to provide safe, effective, and courteous service at a fair price. We offer same-day and emergency services, as well as free estimates and inspections.
Contact Addison Pest today for more information about our ant removal services.