After a hard day (traffic, work, kids), have you ever dreamed about that piece of delicious chocolate cake that you left out on your counter? We’ve all been there, we understand. But, if you aren’t careful this spring, you may find that something else will have gotten to it before you – ants, that’s right ants! Ants are pesky creatures that will enter into your home and eat your food without any apologies. Now is the perfect time to implement changes around your home to ensure that ants stay out of it and away from your chocolate cake.
For homeowners, ants can be a seasonal pest problem or a year-round issue. For the most part they’re hungry and looking for food. Most home-infesting ants aren’t super picky and will eat almost anything, but are particularly drawn to sweets.
Foraging ants will leave their colony and mark a trail to the food source that they have found, and if you aren’t vigilant this trail might lead right into your home. The ants will then work together to gather the food and bring it back to their colony. Once ants have found a reliable food source they will continue to return to it until either it is all gone or until they are stopped from gaining access to it.
Controlling ants can be a difficult task, there can be thousands of them living in a colony and they can enter into spaces through very small cracks and crevices. But, by just making a few small changes in your home and implementing a year-round home pest control program you can help to make sure ants choose somewhere else to get their chocolate cake fix!
Tips for controlling ants in your house include:
Clear out the clutter found in attics, basements, and closets, cluttered areas will give ants (and other pests) a place to hide and will make finding and getting rid of them even more difficult.
Repair any leaky pipes or faucets in your home; ants are drawn to areas of moisture.
Make sure that crumbs and spills are cleaned up immediately, wipe down counters often.
Regularly clean behind large appliances like ovens and refrigerators.
Store food in sealed containers or in the refrigerator; do not leave food out in the open on your kitchen counters.
Wash dishes regularly; do not leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
Regularly remove trash from your home and store it outside in a sealed container until trash day.
By making these small changes around your home you can help control ants this spring and throughout the year.
The professionals at Holder’s are dedicated to helping you with any of your pest control needs including ant control. Holder’s can help you control ants in and around your home, please contact us online or simply give us a call.