Some common ant invaders in our area include:

• Odorous house ants: These small ants get their name from the unpleasant odor they emit when squished or stepped on. They come inside looking for sugary foods and quickly begin to build a colony. Odorous house ant colonies can have 10,000 ants or more, and their colonies get bigger the longer you wait to call for ant control.
• Pavement ants: Often found in sidewalk cracks, these little black ants live in concrete sidewalks and foundation slabs. While they don’t cause severe damage, they can widen cracks in concrete.
• Fire ants: In the yard, fire ant nests look like little dirt mounds, and the colonies can become very large. If you step on them, they bite in unison, causing pain, swelling, and itching. Some people are allergic to their bites.
• Carpenter ants: These large ants can be about a half inch long and tend to burrow into wood structures to build a colony. In addition to seeing the ants, you may notice small bits of sawdust near wood in the house.

Effective ant control requires knowledge and the right products and treatment methods. The process starts with your pest control technician inspecting your property to identify the type of ants and find the places where they are colonizing. Based on this information, a plan can be designed to exterminate the pests. This may include baiting, direct colony treatment, and sealing off cracks. Once the pests have been treated, you can take steps to prevent them from coming back.

There are several ways to get rid of ants permanently.

• Keep your home or property clean and free of food residue or other items that attract ants. For example, regularly sweep and mop floors, wipe down countertops and cabinets, and sweep away debris outside your home.
• Seal any cracked or damaged walls, windows, doors, or other openings where ants may enter your house. Check for gaps around pipes, vents, and wires too.
• If you find an ant nest on your property, try boiling water or vinegar and water solution to kill the colony. You can also spray an insecticide specifically designed for controlling ants outdoors around entry points into the building.
• Use ant baits near areas where you have seen ants entering your home, such as under doorways or around windows and floorboards.
• Plant mint, bay leaves, lavender, lemon balm, garlic cloves, spearmint, and catnip in your garden, which naturally repel ants from your home’s boundaries.
• Place citrus peels (or essential oils made with citrus) around areas where you have seen ant activity, as they do not like the smell of citrus fruits such as lemons and limes.

Regular pest control treatments can help prevent reinfestation and provide a lasting solution to your ant problem. Your pest control specialist can recommend the most effective methods for getting rid of the ants that have invaded your property and provide additional tips about avoiding reinfestation.