If you found a box of crackers in the middle of the park, would you eat them? What about an untouched ice cream cone sitting on a bench? Most people would think twice before consuming what appears to be free food, for good reason. Ants are not as cautious. These small, invasive pests will eat just about anything and will take every opportunity they are presented with to get a free meal. If you keep finding ants around your Lakewood home, they are around for a reason.
Types Of Ants That Invade Homes
Not all ants invade homes. Some live primarily on plants and wouldn’t survive indoors for very long. The types of ants that regularly find their way inside are the ones that scavenge for food. Here are a few species that you might find around your living areas.
- Pavement Ants: Pavement ants typically build their nests around paved areas. Since driveways and sidewalks are both commonly paved, these pests are often found close to homes. When given the opportunity, pavement ants invade living areas to scavenge for food and will even consider building their nests indoors when exterior conditions become unfavorable.
- Carpenter Ants: Carpenter ants build their nests into structures of water-damaged, rotting, or decaying wood. Older homes are more likely to have trouble with these pests due to their wood deteriorating over time. Thankfully, carpenter ants, unlike termites, crawl around indoors giving you an opportunity to identify them before too much damage is done.
- Pharaoh Ants: Pharaoh ants live around warm humid areas and build nests both outdoors and indoors. One thing that sets these pests apart from other species is their ability to pick up and transmit diseases such as salmonellosis and staphylococcus. They pick up these sickness vectors from the trash and other bacteria-filled areas they scavenge through.
- Odorous House Ants: Odorous house ants build their nests both indoors and outdoors and can live practically anywhere due to their resilient nature. When squished or threatened, these annoying pests release an odor often likened to rotten coconuts. The only thing that is worse than this smell is the way these pests trail through living areas while gathering food.
Some Practical Ways To Prevent Ants
Different ants invade for different reasons. To keep a wide range of invasive ants out of your Lakewood home, here are some prevention strategies to use.
- Eliminate sources of water build up around your property.
- Make sure your gutters are properly channeling water away from your home’s exterior.
- If there isn’t one already, install a non-wood barrier between exterior soil and the wood of your home.
- Repair or replace wood around your home that is water damaged, rotting, or in decay.
- Use a caulking gun or some liquid cement to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks in your home’s exterior.
- Address problems with window/door screens, weather stripping, and door sweeps.
- Regularly clean your home and try to keep up with food messes and drink spills.
- Make sure your trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
- Avoid feeding your pets outdoors and clean out their bowls after every meal.
A Better Solution To Ants
Preventing ants is an arduous task. Eliminating an infestation of these pests is beyond difficult. To easily eliminate or prevent ants around your Lakewood home and property, let the experts at Bugaboo Pest Control help. We will develop a solution that best addresses any pest problems you are up against.
Reach out to us today to learn more about our comprehensive pest control offerings and find a plan that keeps annoying ants at bay.
