Ant infestations commonly occur in the Sacramento area. Once your home has an infestation, they are quite difficult to get rid of. However, there are a few things that you can do to help prevent ants from making your home, their home. In this blog post from Earthwise Pest Management, we are going to discuss some of these prevention methods.
Continue reading to learn more and if you are finding ants in your home contact the Sacramento pest control experts at Earthwise Pest Management today.
Keep the House Clear of Food Debris
One of the most important things you can do if you’re trying to prevent an ant infestation is to ensure that they do not have a food source. Ants are constantly looking for food, and if they can’t find any, they will move on and find a place that does have food.
Ants can live off even the smallest crumbs, so it’s imperative that if you want to keep the ants out that you keep your home crumb-free. That means cleaning the counters and floors thoroughly. Give the counters a good wipe with a wet cloth to remove any crumbs and ensure that you are sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming your floors quite regularly. Also, do not let dirty dishes sit in the sink. While you may not notice a few little crumbs on a plate, ants sure will. If you remove the ants’ food source, you will make your home a much less favorable place for them to live.
Seal All Your Food Tightly
As we know, removing an ants source of food is one of the best ways to prevent them from settling into your home. This includes items that you keep in your pantry such as cereal, cookies, crackers, and anything else that an ant can carry off to feed their colony. Rolling up a bag and closing a box of crackers does not tightly seal your food. Ants are extremely small and can find their way through. If you really want to prevent an ant problem, transfer any open food items into sealable containers. Not only will this keep the pests away, but it will also keep your food fresh longer.
Eliminate Standing Water
The next thing that ants look for when finding a home is a water source. Removing any standing water will make your house a less desirable spot for ants to make their new home. Don’t allow dishes to sit in the sink full of water and ensure that you get any leaking faucets fixed. Remember, ants are tiny, they don’t need much water. A dripping faucet may be the perfect amount to keep those ants hydrated. If you want to ensure that ants don’t make your home their home, do not allow them to find a water source and they will move on.
Ensure All Cracks Are Sealed
Ants must have a way to enter your house in order to create their home inside of it. Check your home for cracks in the walls and seal them. Seal and re-caulk around your windows and doors as well. If your home is more difficult to enter, the ants will be more likely to move on to the next place they find food and water. You want to make your home as unappealing as possible for ants.
Beware of Scouts
Scout ants are exactly what they sound like. They are ants that are sent out to find places with food, water, and shelter for their colony. If you see a lonely ant in your home, do not assume that one ant is harmless. It means that there are ants near and they are checking out your home for a possible place to live. If they find a food and water source, they will invite their colony into your home. If you see a scout ant, it’s imperative that you follow the steps above. Seal any cracks, small or large, re-caulk around your windows and doors, and remove any possible food or water sources for the scout ants to find.
Contact the Sacramento Pest Control Experts
If you are struggling with an ant problem or are worried that one might be coming, contact the Sacramento pest control experts at Earthwise Pest Management. We specialize in pest control of all kinds including ants, cockroaches, rodents, wasps, spiders, and more. Contact us today.