How Bad Is It To Have Pavement Ants Around My Tupelo Property?

There are definitely worse ants in Tupelo to have on your property than pavement ants. In Tupelo, fire ants can start developing mounds in your yard and create misery for you and your family. Crazy ants can enter your yard by the millions and clog electrical units and your automobile. Pharaoh ants can enter your home by the hundreds of thousands and present a disease threat. Carpenter ants can come into your yard and chew tunnels into the wood of your home.

As ants go, pavement ants are great to have around. Of course, we say that with tongue in cheek. It isn't great to have any kind of ants on your property, especially if they're starting to get inside. Unfortunately, this is exactly what pavement ants are prone to do. Here's why!

What's In A Name?

A lot, actually. Pavement ants like to live in the cracks of pavement or in soil that abuts pavement. They can also be found in the cracks between rocks, underneath concrete slabs, and perhaps most importantly, pavement ants will get into foundation cracks. These ants love to explore cracks in hard materials like stone or concrete. This is one reason why they're quite likely to get into your home, and why professional ant control in Tupelo is so important when dealing with these ants.

Is It Bad When Pavement Ants Get In?

While pavement ants do not present the same threat to your health that Pharaoh ants or fire ants do, it's still not a good idea to allow these ants to keep getting into your home. Pavement ants are as comfortable crawling around in your trash as they are crawling around in your cabinets or pantry. If these ants go from a dirty location (like your kitchen trash bin) into food preparation and storage areas, they can spread harmful bacteria in your home which can lead to stomach illnesses. This isn't a serious issue, but it is a threat you should be aware of.

The Annoyance Factor

Pavement ants are about ⅛ of an inch long. That's not very big. But having thousands of them come into your home can make those tiny little ants a big annoyance. This is why we get phone calls to address these ants when they get into Tupelo properties all the time. It is very unsettling to live with ants crawling around all over your home and getting into your food.

What You Can Do About Pavement Ants

There are a few ways you can reduce the number of pavement ants on your property and keep them out of your home.

• The first step in keeping any pest out of your home is to apply caulking and other materials to seal entry points in your exterior walls and foundation. Pay close attention to moisture points such as where pipes enter your home as these areas are likely to be targeted first.

• Sanitation is key. These ants are attracted to sweet organic matter, even if it is rotting. Managing your trash and trash receptacles can have a big impact on pavement ant activity.

• These ants are drawn to homes that have issues with plant-damaging insects, such as aphids and whiteflies. These insects create a sweet, sticky substance called honeydew. Keep your plants healthy and address aphids to naturally resist pavement ants.

• If you see ants on shrubs and vegetation near your exterior walls, wash them off with a spray from your garden hose. You need to let them know they're not wanted.

What To Do If Pavement Ants Are In Your Home

The best solution for pavement ants is to contact a licensed pest professional to get a complete solution for your pest problem. If you want to address these ants on your own, we recommend the following ant control tips for Tupelo residents:

• Use soapy water to wash down the areas where these ants are frequently being seen.

• Use a caulking gun to seal around interior pipes, windows, doors, and other possible entry points. This will help to support the efforts you made outside of your home.

• Clean your home to remove any food attractants that may be attracting pavement ants and luring them into your home.

• Deep clean your home. It may not be enough to just clean what you can see. These ants can get into tight spaces and voids. In fact, they're prone to do this.

• Consider storing fruit in the fridge rather than on your kitchen island, counter, or table.

• Put infested potted plants outside.

Ant Control In Tupelo

Whenever you have trouble with pests in Tupelo, remember that the service team here at McCary Pest Control is always standing by to help you find solutions to your pest problems. We use the most advanced methods and products to get the best results possible.

You don't have to battle ants alone! Connect with us today to learn more about our ant control services in Tupelo and request a pest control evaluation. We'll take a look at your ant problem and guide you in selecting the right options to completely address the issue.