Top Facts About Ants
- Ants are one of the most common pests found in homes and businesses, and the number one nuisance pest in the United States.
- There are over 12,000 different ant species around the world.
- Scientists estimate that there are over 10 quadrillion ants alive at a given time.
- Ants are incredibly strong and can carry more than 50 times their own weight.
Read on to find out more about these really interesting insects.
Where Do Ants Live And Eat?
Ants live everywhere in the world, except Antarctica. Ants are social insects and live in colonies. Outside in the wild, ants live underground in either anthills or inside of tree stumps. When ants inevitably make their way inside, they take up residence in the walls, behind baseboards, moldings and countertops. In your home, they will be active closest to the places that meet their basic needs, which are food and water.
Each type of ant, and there are over 1,000 different kinds of them in the United States, is attracted to a different type of food. Despite this, most ants are opportunistic and will eat what they can find. The absolute favorite food of most ants, however, is sugar. This means that any type of food that is high in sugar will be high on an ant’s list of favorites, including:
- Syrup
- Juice
- Soda
- Candy
- Jelly
Other types of ants feed mostly on protein, which they can find in greasy foods or any food that has a high fat content. Any ants that haven’t gotten enough salt in their normal diet will seek out and consume salty foods—even over a high-sugar content food as salt is an essential element that all bodies need to function.
Good to Know
The simplest and most effective way to completely rid your home of ants is to call in a certified pest care professional.
Preventing And Getting Rid of Ants
There are several ways of eliminating ants from the home. To properly clear your home of any ant problem, you must first identify what kind of ants have taken up residence in your residence. The next thing you can do is to look for any ant nests that may have been constructed in your home. As ants prefer to live in well-protected, damp and dark places, this can be a difficult and daunting job. Check for any place where pipes may be leaking, in basements, damp bathrooms and any water-damaged exterior walls. The most effective way to find all the ant nests and rid your home of ants entirely, is to call in a certified pest care professional. A pest expert will know the right methods and chemicals for your particular ant problem, ensuring that your ant problem will be completely eliminated.
Ant prevention is much simpler than elimination. To get rid of ants, you have to eliminate anything that attracts ants. Follow the checklist below to keep your home ant-free:
- Sweep up any food crumbs around your kitchen, including under appliances, and anywhere else people eat around your home. Clean any food or drink spills thoroughly.
- Store food in airtight containers or in your refrigerator.
- Clean up pet food immediately after it has been eaten. Dog, cat, or human food, it’s all the same to ants!
- Seal off any possible entry points where ants may enter your home such as cracks or crevices around doors and window frames.
Cost Of Ant Extermination
The cost of ridding your home of an ant infestation must take into account several different factors. The price for a professional extermination service will vary depending on the type of ant problem you have, how severe the problem is, how large of an area your home covers and where your house is located. You should expect that a single visit will cost somewhere between $150-$300. Carpenter ant infestations, however, are more difficult to eliminate and more important that every ant is completely eradicated. For a carpenter ant problem, expect to pay between $250-$500 for a one-time visit, and also be prepared that one visit will likely not be enough to get rid of carpenter ants completely. Annual contracts to schedule year-round preventative treatments may run you between $300-$600 a year, but may save you from costly repairs in the future.
Get Rid Of Ants In Your Home For Good
Ants are tiny insects that can cause large problems in your home. They can be tough to eliminate and while annoying on their own, untreated ant infestations in your home can create expensive structural damage and even health problems including bites, allergic reactions and food contamination. AtHomePros knows that different kinds of ants can cause different types of problems, necessitating all different kinds of solutions. Let us recommend the right pest control specialist for any type of ant infestation and get rid of ants in your home for good.
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