Last Updated on December 22, 2022 by
Ants are among the most unwelcome nuisance pests that infiltrate people’s households regardless of the weather. Who would not get annoyed at the sight of these pests incessantly infesting your home and devouring whatever food source there is? Moreover, the nasty bites of ants are quite antagonizing.
It can be frustrating to deal with an ant infestation because they do not go away easily. Once these pests have established their colonies in and around your property, you cannot make them disappear all at once no matter how many DIY pest control methods you may use to eliminate them. You may be able to exterminate some of these pests temporarily, but they always come back stronger unless you get to track down and destroy their nests.
Are Ants Dangerous?
Yes. Having them at home can pose a potential threat to both our property and our health. However, not so many people regard ants as really dangerous or harmful pests. We assume that ants only cause minimal damage to the household and tend to underestimate these tiny little critters and the serious risks they can inflict on us or our household. What we sometimes forget are the following:
Ants contaminate food and spread diseases.
- Like roaches and rodents, these pests are also propagators of diseases. They penetrate our homes and travel across filthy paths and places in search of food. Where there is food or food debris, ants will be there carrying an unimaginable number of bacteria and viruses.
It can destroy home structures.
- Carpenter ants to be exact are destructive. Aside from damaging our food supplies, it also chews on the wooden structures of our house in order to build their nests and shelter for their colony.
They attack and bite.
- The sting of ants, particularly fire ants, can be really painful because of the venom these cruel aggressors inject into our skin. If you are bitten by ants, you will have itchy red bumps on your skin, which, If not properly treated, can become infected.
How Do We Eliminate Ants?
One should not let ants thrive. To exterminate their entire colony, here are five (5) ants removal tips you can apply at home:
1. Starve them.
- Ants are food scavengers; thus, anything we do that involves food will definitely draw them to your home. If you want to keep these pests at bay, the first thing you do is to always keep your food properly stored in places like freezers, refrigerators, and well-sealed containers. Deny these pests any access to your food so they will starve.
2. Clean your house and keep it free from food spills or crumbs.
- Do not just wipe down or disinfect your kitchen table and food counters. You should also clean and vacuum regularly to get rid of dirt and food crumbs that may have been left on the floor and other areas like cabinets, baseboards, appliances, and furniture within the house.
3. Regularly empty your trash bins.
- Ants get captivated primarily by the aroma of food. One source of the such scent is your garbage cans where all sorts of food debris are thrown into. To avoid attracting these pests, make sure to dispose of your garbage every single day.
4. Remove all possible entry points.
- Another effective ant removal strategy is to cover or seal any cracks or holes that may provide them access to your household. This also entails repairing tears on door and window screens and other structural damages to prevent the entry of pests like ants.
5. Trim down overgrown vegetation like bushes, grasses, and trees.
- Branches of plants and trees surrounding your home should be trimmed on a regular basis. Ants sometimes find a highway to your house through the branches of trees and plants that are touching your windows and house structure.
Ants and the trouble they cause should not be taken lightly. They are extremely stubborn pests and killing a few hundreds of them using home pesticides does not always solve the problem. You need to really destroy their nests to effectively get rid of them. For homeowners, making your house less conducive for the ants’ existence is the way to go. Most importantly, ask the help of pest control professionals if you are dealing with serious ant infestations.
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