While ants are certainly unpleasant to have in your home, they can also cause problems beyond just their undesirable presence. Ants can cause health problems such as spreading bacteria that cause salmonella and staph infections, they can bite and sting, and for those that are allergic to ant stings, they can cause life-threatening symptoms. Some ants can even do damage to your home. Ants are more than just unpleasant, they can be a health risk to you and your family.
In this blog post, we are going to discuss some serious problems associated with ant infestations. Continue reading to learn more and if you want to hire professional Sacramento pest control experts to rid your home of an ant infestation, call Earthwise Pest Management today.
Spread of Diseases
Ants, like most pests, can spread diseases. While searching for food, ants may crawl through the trash and then later transfer the bacteria they have picked up throughout your pantry. They pick up bacteria during their search for food and then when they walk across your counter or make their way into an open box or bag of food and leave behind the bacteria. Ants are known for spreading E.coli, shigella, and salmonella, which are some serious pathogens that often get spread through contaminated food. Ants have even been known to spread the bacteria that cause strep throat and staph infections. Ants aren’t just unwanted dinner guests, they are also dangerous to your health and the health of your family.
Bacteria commonly spread by ants:
- E.coli
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Staphylococcus
- Clostridium
- Streptococcus
Damage to Your Home
Ants, particularly carpenter ants, can damage your home. While you are probably aware of the damage that termites do to wood, carpenter ants can damage the wood in your home as well. The damage does not occur as quickly, as the ants do not eat the wood, but instead, they burrow through it and create their home inside the wooden beams inside your walls. If an ant infestation goes untreated, you may begin to notice small piles of wood shavings or a light rust color on your walls. If you are concerned that you might have carpenter ants, you should hire a professional pest management company to assess the situation and ensure that no harm is done to your home.
Bites & Stings
All types of ants are capable of biting when they feel threatened and some types can even sting. Ant bits are only mildly uncomfortable; however, if you don’t treat the bit, it can become infected and causes further complications. Ants that sting, like fire ants, actually inject venom into you with their stinger. These stings are a bit more uncomfortable than an ant bite, but rather harmless long term unless you are allergic.
Allergic Reactions
Some individuals are allergic to ant stings, and if this is the case, certain types of ants can pose a huge threat. An allergic reaction to an ant sting can cause life-threatening symptoms such as swelling of the throat and tongue, tightness of the chest, and trouble breathing. Other symptoms experienced by someone who is having an allergic reaction to an ant sting include nausea, dizziness, hives, and stomach cramps.
Contact the Sacramento Pest Control Experts
If you have an ant infestation in your home, contact the Sacramento pest control experts at Earthwise Pest Management. We can help you get rid of your current ant infestation once and for all and help you prevent them from ever coming back. Contact Earthwise Pest Management for help with an ant infestation or any other type of pest control problem including cockroaches, rodents, wasps, and more.