Ants are tiny creatures, but they can cause massive damage. Sure, you could easily kill one if you saw it crawling inside your home, but the average size of ant colonies ranges between 1,000 to 100,000 ants — a few stomps aren’t going to wipe those numbers out.
Once you notice signs of an infestation, it’s best to start looking for professionals in your area who specialize in ant control. If you act fast enough, you might be able to stop these pests from growing their dominion over your home.
This article will discuss everything you need to know about pest control services, including the common ant types in Maryland, how they can damage your home and the most practical ways to get rid of them. Read on to learn how to keep your property ant-free.
What Are the Most Common Types of Ants in Maryland?
If you’re trying to win the war against the ants in your home, you need to be able to identify them. This section will give you the basics of the five most common types in Maryland.
1. Acrobat Ants
Acrobat ants are heart-shaped creatures known to raise their abdomen above their heads, especially when disturbed. They need moisture to survive, so their presence may indicate leaks and gaps within your home. You’ll often find them nesting in wooded structures that are moist and softened by decay, including doors, windows, and baseboards.
2. Carpenter Ants
Arguably the worst ant type for houses, carpenter ants are typically large — about ¼ or ½ inch long — and blackish. They are winged pests that hollow out wood for their nests. If you notice smooth holes bored into your wooden furniture or random piles of sawdust in your home, you might have an infestation on your hands.
3. Odorous House Ants
These ants are native to most of North America. Odorous house ants love sugary foods, such as honeydew, nectar, and any sweets you might keep at home. They get their name from the smell they secrete when crushed, like rotten coconut or blue cheese.
4. Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are small brown or black creatures that will eat almost anything, leaving any food they touch contaminated. However, they don’t typically bite people. You will often find them in eastern parts of the United States.
5. Thief Ants
Thief ants are some of the smallest household ant species in the world. Experts named them accordingly because they like building nests dangerously close to other ants’ nests to steal their food and brood.
Don’t let their size fool you! They might seem harmless, but one colony can house several queens and thousands of workers.
So, should you be picking up the phone to call an ant exterminator as soon as you see an ant in your home? Well, it depends. If you see a few ants every few months, you probably shouldn’t be too worried about an infestation. However, if you find ant hills outside your house or hear little creatures constantly moving inside your walls, it’s time to call a local provider of bug services, like Rosenbloom Pest Control in Baltimore.
Why Do Ants Infest Homes?
In most cases, you will need ant control services to remove ants from your home. But what is it about your house that lures in these pesky bugs? Below are some reasons why your property might be attracting these pests.
If you can limit or eliminate the following, you might be able to avoid ever needing to call ant control Timonium citizens rely on ever again.
Food Access
Like any living species, ants need food and water to survive. If you provide them with easy access to these essentials, they won’t hesitate to keep coming back for more. Regular cleaning and proper food storage can help you stop or avoid an infestation altogether.
Sticky Garbage Cans
Sticky garbage cans often contain sugary residues from syrups, sauces, or juices — which ants absolutely love. Unfortunately, ants have no problem raiding every dirty trash bin in your house, from your kitchen to your bedroom. Remember to keep these containers clean to discourage ants from entering your home.
Leaky Devices
Some ants need moisture to survive, making leaks attractive to them. Check your faucets, toilets, and sinks to ensure that water-loving ant species can’t mooch off of your home’s water supply.
Decaying Wood Surfaces
Decaying wood surfaces provide these creatures with the perfect hideout for colonies, especially carpenter ants. Replace rotting wood from your house and clear out any tree stumps and branches in your garden to get rid of these potential ant nesting grounds.
Why Should You Call Ant Control Services When You See a Colony in Your Home?
Once ants nest in your home, you might face potentially dangerous situations. Below are some reasons you should call ant exterminator services when you’re dealing with an infestation.
Disease Risk
Unknown to many homeowners, ants can transport bacteria and bring several food-borne diseases into your home from outside, including salmonella, E. coli, and strep. Don’t wait for thousands of ants to come to your home before calling bug services.
Property Damage
In addition to an increased risk of disease, ants can also cause expensive property damage. Some ants can chew through wood, including structures, decks, furniture, and sidings. They don’t eat wood like termites, but they use the materials to build their nests and lay eggs. Small, smooth holes on wooden surfaces usually indicate an infestation — which means it’s time to call the best bug removal you can find, and fast.
Increased Infestation
Ant infestations can become overwhelming. In addition to their fast reproduction rates, they can also adapt to environmental risks to defend themselves. The longer you ignore the problem, the worse it might get.
Food Contamination
The likelihood of food contamination depends on the ant species you’re dealing with. Odorous house ants are the worst for food because they feed on dead animals, making them very fast spreaders of bacteria and diseases. Yuck!
Discomfort
Having ants on your bed or couch can be uncomfortable. Imagine having them crawl on you as you sleep — yikes! However, that’s not the worst part. On extreme occasions, ants can bite you to protect their nests. Our ant control services will help you show those creepy crawlies that you can bite back!
Practical Tips to Keep Ants out of Your Home
Below are some practical tips to keep ants out of your home. Remember, when there’s an infestation, it’s best to call ant control Owings Mills services before it gets out of hand.
● Seal cracks or gaps: Naturally, ants need entry points to get into your home. They can squeeze into the tiniest of spaces, so it’s crucial to apply putty or caulk on any crack or gap that might let them in.
● Check your screens. Sometimes, homeowners don’t notice that window and door screens have tears. Remember, ants are tiny creatures that can fit through the smallest openings, so it’s essential to check screens for potential access points. Otherwise, you may as well keep an ant exterminator on speed dial.
● Clean up: There’s nothing quite like sugary foods to invite ants into your home. As long as they have access to food they can bring back to the colony, they will keep coming back. Unless you want to invite bug services Towson to dinner, you should always clean up after you eat, including any crumbs left on the table.
● Use sealed food containers: Ants can get into unsealed syrups, cereals, or fruits. Keep these food sources stored in properly-sealed containers to prevent ant infestations.
● Store pet dishes when not in use: Pet dishes are another popular food source for ants. When not in use, clean them thoroughly and store them away to avoid luring ants into your home.
● Don’t leave standing water undisturbed. While food remains ants’ core motivator, they also need water to survive. A reliable source of standing water encourages ants to linger on your property.
● Rake dry leaves. It may seem tedious, but raking prevents ants from creating comfortable nests in the dry leaves in your yard.
● Repair leaks. Inspect sinks and other plumbing devices for any leaks. Check hard-to-reach places like under sinks, toilets, and refrigerators.
● Make an ant repellant. Here’s a simple ant repellant solution: fill ¾ of an empty spray bottle with water. Afterward, top off the container with dish soap. This diluted soap will kill ants you come across, though it won’t do much to a colony protected by ant hills. You’ll need to phone in ant extermination services for that one.
● Contact bug services Baltimore residents trust. If you want to get rid of pests for good, it’s best to bring in the pros. Specialists can ensure you eliminate the whole colony — even ants hidden from plain sight.
Keep Your Home Ant-Free
Ready to keep your home ant-free? If you don’t have an infestation on your hands yet, keeping your home, yard, and garbage cans clean can do wonders to keep the ants away. However, if you’re already facing a colony of thousands of ants, it’s best to call ant control a local pest control company before things get worse.
With a professional ant exterminator on your side, you won’t only kill the ants you see — you can also eliminate the ones living inside your walls and floorboards.
If you’re dealing with an ant problem in the Baltimore area, reach out to Rosenbloom Pest Control. Rosenbloom Pest Control has a trusted reputation of being the best pest control company in Baltimore, serving Towson, Timonium, Catonsville, Pikesville, Owings Mills, and Randallstown. Our team has the necessary experience and knowledge to use appropriate methods to remove and prevent ants from your yard, basement, garage, or any part of your home.
We don’t just kill the ants; we also provide long-term solutions to keep the ants from coming back.
Request a free, no-obligation quote now!
Ant colonies on your property becoming a nuisance?
It’s time to call in the professionals!
Rosenbloom Pest Control is the premier pest control company in the Baltimore area. Our technicians will get rid of those pesky ants in no time.
Reach out to us and schedule an appointment today!
(410) 358-5583 office@rosenbloompest.com
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