A Handy Guide To Keeping Ants Out Of Your Alexandria Home

September 15, 2020 - Ants

Ants might be a tiny pest, but they aren’t a small problem if they get inside your home. Ants are an extremely common pest in Alexandria, and while each individual ant is tiny, colonies are made up of hundreds if not thousands of ants making them hard to remove.

When it comes to ants in Alexandria, Virginia, some species are a nuisance while others can cause property damage or pose health risks. The four main species in the area are carpenter ants, odorous house ants, pavement ants, and yellow ants.

Here is a brief guide to help you identify ant species in the area and understand the threats they pose:

1. Carpenter Ants: The carpenter ant is more than just a nuisance as they cause property damage by tunneling through the wood to create nests. They are dark brown to black in color and about half an inch long.
2. Odorous House Ants: These ants get their name because of the smell of rotten coconuts they emit when crushed are often found outside near sidewalks and are mostly considered a nuisance although they can bite and sting.
3. Odorous House Ants: These ants get their name because of the smell of rotten coconuts they emit when crushed. They are about an eighth of an inch long and dark brown or black.
4. Yellow Ants: Another small species, the yellow ant only gets to be about an eighth of an inch long and is yellow to orange in color. They are also considered a nuisance species.

Regardless of the species, all ants can contaminate food sources, and they can all become invasive because of their ability to reproduce quickly. Because of this, the best way to handle ant infestations is to focus on prevention.

How Cleaning Helps Prevent Ants

The best place to start when it comes to preventing ants is to focus on cleaning and having good sanitation habits. Ants are usually attracted to a building because of food, so by keeping a clean home, especially in kitchen areas, you can make your house less appealing to all ants.

To start, focus on deep cleaning under heavy appliances and wiping down the inside of cupboards, drawers, and pantries. Next, make it more difficult for ants to get into food sources by storing both people and pet food in airtight containers. Then, make sure to take out the trash on a regular basis and cover all garbage cans with secure lids. Lastly, always regularly clean your home which includes doing dirty dishes, sweeping and mopping, and wiping up food and drink spills immediately.

Five More Ant Prevention Tips

After you’ve done all you can to reduce the factors that attract ants to your home, you should then focus on sealing up areas where ants can get inside. While this can be difficult given how tiny ants are, by following these five steps you can greatly minimize access points.

1. Place door sweeps and weather stripping around all doors and windows.
2. Repair or replace broken screens.
3. Fill in any cracks and crevices with caulk or foam insulation.
4. Make sure that doors and windows fit tightly in their frames.
5. Look for gaps where wires and pipes enter the home and fill these using materials like caulk or steel wool.

What Is The Best Ant Prevention Method?

Focusing on ant prevention throughout the year is an effective way to deter ants and protect your home. However, ants can be difficult to completely keep away without professional help. The best way to both prevent and remove ant infestations is by getting in touch with the experts at Matar Termite & Pest Control. As a family-owned company that employs expert chemists, entomologists, and environmentalists, we are focused on providing the highest-quality home pest control that’s safe for you, your family, and the environment.

Get started with our residential of commercial ant control options by giving us a call today!