What Attracts Ants To Houston Homes?
When it comes to pests that are the first sign of messes and damage around your property, ants should be the ones that come to mind. From the time we spend cleaning up messes to the routine maintenance that is necessary to keep tiny pests out, ants are forever trying the patience of homeowners. That’s why it’s crucial to both let experts help, and to educate yourself on the many different pest populations that plague property owners in Houston.
Common Local Ants
Most ants aren’t particularly dangerous. They don’t tend to even bite people, let alone carry dangerous venom or diseases. However, all ant populations can contaminate food and food preparation areas, and some ant species can be far more damaging to your health and property. This is why no pests on your property should be treated as insignificant. Here are some of the more serious invasive species in Houston:
Carpenter ants: They look a whole lot like the less harmful species of ants out there but they do a whole lot more damage. These ants are so-called for their habit of drilling into the wood to make nesting tunnels, sometimes resulting in extensive structural damage.
Fire ants: Small and bright red, these aggressive ants don’t just get their name from their color -- they also have stingers that cause intense burning pain.
Pharaoh Ants: Often tan or yellowish in color, pharaoh ants can carry and transmit dangerous diseases like salmonella.
How Ants Get Inside
Most ant colonies start outdoors, growing in size and number until they are large enough to invade more territory. That’s why, if you notice ants around, populations are generally too far along to fully manage. It’s important to know how ant populations form and how they get indoors, so you can prevent these factors. Here are some common ways that ants get inside:
Cracks & holes: Even tiny faults in exterior walls can provide tiny ants with a way inside your home. Routinely inspect and make repairs to combat this.
Doors & windows: Torn screens or faulty window and door frames, which might allow gaps for ants to crawl through, are another frequent access point. Maintain screens and install door sweeps and weather stripping to close up gaps.
Water damage: Not only does moisture attract pests directly, but it can also open up unseen entrances for them to utilize to get inside.
How To Prevent Ants
The other part of preventing foraging pests is to make your home less attractive to them. Do this by trying the following:
Food storage: Making sure your food is stored properly, and that no food traces are left behind after meals, is a crucial pest prevention measure.
Trash storage: The same goes for your garbage, both indoors and outdoors, which can provide ants with more than enough food to survive.
Inspections: The only way to stop an existing pest population from growing out of control is by catching it early. To do that, you need a trained professional to check your property inside and out.
Contact Modern Pest Control Today
With such small and common pests, the best way to keep ants from invading your home is through regular assistance from pest professionals. At Modern Pest Control, our friendly technicians can provide you with more helpful tips for protecting against ants and other pests. It all starts with an inspection of your property, both indoors and out in the yard, during which we can diagnose your level of exposure to potentially harmful pests. Whether you need help with early prevention or quick removal, our proven track record is one you can count on.
Let us help keep invasive and potentially harmful pest species from plaguing your home, contact Modern Pest Control today.