It seems like our Austin ant control experts are constantly getting calls about ant infestations. These common home-invading pests may seem small and innocent, but they can cause a lot of problems if they decide to build their nests in or around your home.
Our professionals at Aries Pest Control know the dangers of ignoring an ant infestation. These little insects can reproduce quickly and can multiply in numbers every day. Keep reading to learn how to prevent ants from taking over your Austin home.
How To Identify Different Ant Species In Austin
At a glance, you may think all ants are the same. While most species are relatively the same size and color, each type of ant has unique behaviors that allow our ant exterminators to easily identify the species you are dealing with.
The most common types of ants that Austin homeowners encounter include:
- Fire ants: They typically like to build large outdoor nests that can stretch several feet underground and can form a large mound above ground that can measure over two feet high.
- Sugar ants: There are many types of sugar ants in Austin. The term “sugar ant” is a generic term that describes any type of ant that likes to eat sweet and sugary foods. They can range in color from black to tan or yellow. You will usually find these ants in the kitchen, around trash cans, and in other areas of your home that have food.
- Rover ants: The rover ants are known to thrive in a variety of conditions. They don’t like to stay in the same location for too long and will often move their nests every few months.
- Carpenter ants: These ants are usually larger than the other ant species in the area. They can be inside and outside of your home. They get their name from their unique ability to chew through wooden surfaces when building their nests.
Ants are social creatures that don’t like to live alone. Instead, they usually live in large colonies of different castes, including queens, worker ants, and reproductive ants. If you see just one or two ants in your home, you should have a local ant control specialist inspect your home to locate the nest.
The Dangers Of Ants: Understanding The Risks Of Infestations
We often underestimate ants because of their small size. However, these little bugs are capable of causing all sorts of problems once they are in your home or on your property. Many of the ants you find in your kitchen or around your pantry can spread dangerous diseases. While they crawl through garbage and other unsanitary areas, they pick up various harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and streptococcus. They can pass these harmful pathogens to you if they get near your food.
Some ants can cause physical pain as well. Fire ants, for example, are extremely aggressive and can bite and sting anyone that gets near their nest. Carpenter ants can also bite people, but they are more of a threat to your home than to you. Our ant exterminators have seen many homes and wooden structures damaged after a carpenter ant colony built their nest inside the wooden surface.
Why Prevention Is Critical to Successful Ant Control
Prevention is the best way to achieve complete ant control. Ants constantly reproduce and can lay over 800 eggs in a day. A severe ant infestation usually takes a few weeks to develop in a home.
Call us at Aries Pest Control for a prevention and ant control plan.
Call The Experts For The Most Effective Ant Control
The best way to keep your home ant-free is to call our ant exterminators in Austin before you see ants in your home. Aries Pest Control can both prevent and eliminate all types of infestations.