Ants can be a nuisance in the home – they crawl and chew wooden structures to develop a shelter for their colony. If you don’t want your comfy sofa chewed, you had better learn how to control these creatures. However, with so many types of ants available in the United States of America, it can be a daunting task knowing how to keep these pests away from your home.
This article is a guide on some of the most common types of ants and how to control them effectively.
Tips to Control Different Types of Ants
Controlling ants in your home can be a challenge if you don’t know which type has invaded your house.
Here’s a list of some common ants and simple tricks to keep them away from your home.
1. Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are common types of ants in the United States of America. It is brown in color and has pale-colored legs. These ants are distinguishable from other types of ants because their thorax has two spines.
In case you notice these ants in your home, use baits to get rid of them. Identify and place baits along their trail and areas where they gather most. The worker ants will find the bait, carry it to the shelter, and share it with the rest of the colony and die.
2. Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are common in moist and decayed woods. These types of ants can cause significant damage to your home. They create nests and tunnels in any wooden structure they come across. Carpenter ants are hard to control because they exist in multiple nests – satellite and parent colonies.
To keep these ants away, keep your homes clean by trimming shrubs and trees, sealing all entry points, and removing any decayed or aged wood from your home. Where the nests are visible, mainly outdoor, apply insecticide around them. In case you can find the nests, use baits on their trails to kill carpenter ants.
3. Field Ants
Field ants are commonly found mounding lawns, which are 2 feet in height and about 4 feet in diameter. These ants are also found nesting in firewoods and similar piles.
Here’s how to control field ants:
- Start by saturating the ant mounds with the correct pesticide. A lot of water may be necessary to help the pesticide penetrate the mound well.
- Repair or seal any cracks, gaps, and entry points to prevent ants from entering your home
- Use non-repellant pesticides around areas invaded by the ants. Besides, you can use the pesticide around your house, windows, doorwards, along the foundation wall, and beneath the slides to keep field ants away.
Conclusion
The efficiency of the ants control and prevention method that you choose depends on a clear understanding of your home’s type of ants. At times, identifying these ants can be a challenge. If you don’t get this right, you are not likely to apply the right control method. You don’t have to go through all this struggle when you can engage a professional to do it. Find an expert in ant control near you to help you with the ants’ infestation.
