The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Ants In Your Baldwyn Home

When it comes to ants in your home, you'll need to rely on ant control in Baldwyn  – but what's the best form of ant control near you? Here's what Baldwyn homeowners should know about the types of ants you may find inside your house, the problems they can cause, why it's so hard to get rid of ants on your own, and when it's time for professional pest control in Baldwyn. 

Common Species Of Ants That Invade Baldwyn Homes

House ants may be one of the most common types of ants you may see in your home, but they aren't the only ones – here are all the different kinds of ants you could see in your Baldwyn house:

• House ants: You may also hear odorous house ants called "sweet ants" for two reasons – along with their sweet tooth, these ants also give off a rotten, sweet smell when they're crushed.
• Carpenter ants: While they share the house ant's preference for sweets, these ants tunnel through wood with strong jaws to create their nests. This activity can lead to damage to your home if the infestation is not addressed.
• Acrobat ants: Acrobat ants are light brown and earned their name from the way they raise their abdomens over their heads. Acrobat ants can be a nuisance and can also cause damage to your home if they decide to nest there.
• Pharaoh ants: Pharaoh ants are one of the easiest types to recognize due to their pale yellow coloring. Not only will these ants go after your food, but they can also spread bacteria. Pharaoh ants are especially problematic in hospitals or other healthcare settings.
• Pavement ants: As their name implies, pavement ants like to nest underneath or in cracks in pavement. Unfortunately, these ants also invade Baldwyn homes seeking food and water.

Ants that enter your Baldwyn home will be a nuisance, and once they've taken root inside your house, they won't go away on their own. Regardless of the type, most ants are attracted to the same things: food and water. Specifically, ants have a sweet tooth for anything with sugar as well as protein-rich foods like meat. Carpenter ants, which like to nest in wood, prefer to build colonies in wet or moisture-damaged wood. 

Ants Can Cause Many Problems In Your Home

There are several different reasons why ants can be so problematic in your Baldwyn home. First, they're extremely difficult to eliminate, and ant colonies can quickly grow their numbers into the thousands. Plus, because they're always on the hunt for food, ants may start showing up in droves in your kitchen or pantry. They aren't shy about contaminating your food and cooking surfaces.

Then there are the more serious problems. Certain types of ants, like carpenter ants or acrobat ants, can cause property damage if they start to nest near or in your home. This won't happen immediately, but it can with enough time and a lack of treatment. Other types of ants, like pharaoh ants, are capable of spreading bacteria and pathogens. 

Do ants bite? You may not hear much about ant bites, but there are a few species in Baldwyn that can bite – such as carpenter ants. However, carpenter ants are not aggressive and usually only bite if they feel threatened or cornered. Their bite may cause mild irritation or swelling like a bug bite, but it shouldn't be medically dangerous. More often than not, when people mention ants biting, they're really talking about stinging ants like fire ants. These ants may not invade your home, but if they build a colony in your yard, they will defend it aggressively, which can lead to a swarm of stinging ants. 

Given the problems they can cause, is there anything you can do to prevent ants in Baldwyn? Yes, and here are some natural ways to prevent ant infestations:

• Keep your food in sealed containers: Leaving out leftovers can lure ants in, so you'll want to make sure you're keeping any food items in sealed packages or containers.
• Clean up after dirty dishes: Dirty dishes can still contain food particles, and if left in your sink long enough, they can still attract ants. If you dirty any dishes, try to wash them as soon as possible and avoid leaving them overnight.
• Wipe up spills and other scraps: Spills, especially sugary beverages, can be a big ant attraction. After meals or spills, ensure you're wiping them up and leaving no crumbs or residue behind.
• Don't let your trash overflow: If they can't get to your leftovers, the ants in your home may turn to your trash. Take your trash out regularly and keep a tight lid on the can when there is trash inside.
• Close up cracks and crevices in your home: Ants only need small cracks and crevices to get inside your home, but using foam, caulk, or another type of sealant can block off these entrances.

With all the problems ants bring into our homes, it's worth taking the steps necessary to keep them out. 

It Is Very Difficult To Get Rid Of An Ant Infestation On Your Own

Unfortunately, tackling an ant infestation on your own is rarely effective for several reasons. Unlike some pests, ants can form colonies that grow into the hundreds of thousands, which makes it incredibly difficult to wipe out the entire colony. Even if you do manage to find the source of the colony and destroy it, any survivors that are out foraging will end up reforming the colony.

Finding the source of the colony can be a challenge unto itself – ants love to build nests in hard-to-reach places, like cracks, crevices, or open cavities. When you do find a nest, your ants won't hesitate to relocate to a safer place too, which means having to make sure you eliminate any other nest locations they may have. 

However, as adaptable as ants are, getting rid of an infestation on your own is hard for another reason. Over-the-counter ant sprays and traps are usually not potent enough to wipe out an entire colony, and they may be dangerous for you, your family, or your pets. 

Some homeowners may try to use home remedies to get rid of ants in their homes, but these solutions rarely work, and here's why:

• Hairspray and cleaning products: While these products may kill a few ants, they won't wipe out the entire colony, and the ants will likely just move a few feet over.
• Ant sprays: Sprays will kill the ants they come in contact with, but they won't do anything for any of the ants that you aren't able to see. Since colonies can grow into the thousands, you'll likely run out of spray before you run out of ants.
• Dry rice: You might've heard that certain ants will eat dry rice and then die once the grain expands in their stomachs, but this isn't true. Many types of ants can only consume liquids, so they won't eat rice. Ants are much more likely to try and eat your sweets or meats than they are to go after your rice.
• Boiling water: Pouring boiling water over a nest will likely kill some of the ants, but it probably won't kill the queen, and the colony will repopulate over time.
• Fire: Not only can it be dangerous to try to burn an ant colony, but like many of these methods, it's unlikely to kill the entire colony, so the ants will just repopulate.

Unfortunately, most home remedies are just temporary ant control solutions. If you really want to get rid of ants, you'll need to use a professional pest control company that has the experience and treatments needed for common types of ants.

Contact The Professionals For Total Ant Control

Most of the time, attempting to deal with an ant infestation on your own just gives ants more time to grow. In fact, the most effective way to handle ants in your Baldwyn home is with a professional pest control company – like those of us at McCary Pest Control. 

Not only can we identify which species of ant has been invading your home, but we'll completely wipe out the infestation – and our results come with a pest-free guarantee behind them. If you're noticing ants around your home or already know you've got an infestation, don't wait to call us at McCary Pest Control today to learn more about how we can help.