Been in a position of constantly dealing with ants in the home is very infuriating and annoying because ants by nature poses huge challenges in terms of control. It is even more disheartening to control if the ants invading your home are pharaoh ants. In the home, ants could be found close to sources of their food, in the back of window frames, wall voids that are protected, under home appliances, in hidden and places full of moisture. More so, ants by nature are likely to live near humans as they are commensal pests. This means that they will always been found in the home if proper actions is not taken. More so, they love to eat such things like meats, liquids, starches, and sweets that humans love to eat. This is the sole reason why you could see them almost everywhere in the home. However the big question is how will a homeowner or resident successfully manage and control the problem of ants in the home?

The problem of ants in the home is huge and extremely troublesome as agreed by homeowners and managers of building because of the persistent nature of ant problems in the home. This has triggered the agreement between these set of humans that there is not one single strategy that can help eradicate as well as control the invasion of homes by ants. This is so particularly because the preventive and controls measures for ants in the home differs based on species of ants, the location of ant nest and the type of food such ants consume. Therefore, it is necessary that to follow any integrated ant management program to fully eradicate and control the presence of ants in the home. These are some of the best components and measures for prevention and control of ants in the home.

The first step in controlling ants’ invasion of the home is through the accurate identification of the species of ants involved. This is very crucial because each ant species have its own unique behavior as well as customs and choice of dwelling place. Therefore, using knowledge based approach to controlling ants is the best way to fight the problem. This is done by knowing the exact location of the ants, their activities, what they like and dislike. These make this approach very effective and accurate in ant control.

Once the above has been done, the next step should involve the removal and minimization of moisture in the home. This is necessary because without moisture ants cannot survive. Moisture is like oxygen to ants. Therefore, all leakages of water from pipers and any other places in the home must be stopped. There is also need to ensure that any source of moisture or water around the home is directed away from the home to avoid wet spots in the home.

There is need to keep everything clean in the home in the control and prevention of ant problems. This is achieved by removing particles of food in places around the house where we eat especially in the kitchen and dining tables. Also, do not allow dirty places to lie around in the kitchen sink; always try to wash them immediately after use. There should be the regular cleaning of dish washers and all appliances in the home. Emptying and cleaning of trash cash and waste buckets should be done regularly. The use of sealed containers to store food considered as been attractive to ants is highly encouraged. The areas where people seat to watch TV should be regularly inspected for the presence of food particles. Always clean the grill and BBQ stand in circumstances of outdoor grilling and BBQ. In addition, clean tables and patios should incase there are left over food on them.

The practice of exclusion technique in the control and prevention of ants’ problem in the home is another important step. This technique is usually employed so as to prevent ants from entering the house. It is crucial to know that ants come into the house through gaps, cracks and holes on the walls. Therefore, it is advised that these gaps, cracks and holes should be identified and sealed off. In addition, in cases where they are trees in the compound, always trim the limbs and branches of the trees so as to prevent them from touching the house as this can also help facilitate ant problems in the home. Remember that ants do follow trails of scents, so it is advised that all such scents should be removed either by using vinegar or scrubbing off using wet clothes or sponge.

There are lots of places that are prone to harbor ants in the home, always identify such places and remove or minimize them. These places include groundcover plants, mulch and moisturized surfaces. The groundcover plants should be properly thinned or in some cases abruptly removed. More so, debris should be moved away from the home. Things such as pile of tiles, papers, boards, and books should be properly stored in places devoid of moisture. There should be time to time inspection splash blocks close to the foundation of the home. There should be constant removal of all stumps and limbs of trees as well as logs of fallen trees. There should be proper storage of firewood, the proper place should be a place located quite far from the house. Always ensure not to store or keep firewood in the house of in the garage except it is for immediate use.

The prevention and control of ants done by self is usually a huge challenge, therefore, it is best to always seek expert help in form of advice and services for proper management of ant problems in the home.

Alliance Pest Services offers various pest control programs to ensure your home or office remains ant and pest free.