It’s just about that time of the year when all kinds of pests start crawling out of the woodwork (quite literally in some situations). All of those annoying bugs have been missing-in-action since winter began, but don't celebrate just yet. Ant season, in particular, is rapidly approaching, and soon residents of Attleboro will be seeing a lot more of those annoying, destructive pests. Why wait until they’ve taken over your backyard and home? Now is the time to start putting prevention methods in place.
It isn’t just one type of ant that will start invading your property—there are 3 species of ants that are common to Attleboro: the carpenter ant, odorous ants, and pavement ants.
If you see large black ants wandering about, those are most likely carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are the biggest, ranging from 1/8 to 1/2 an inch long. They aren’t always just black, they can be all red, all black, or a combination. The way to tell that you have carpenter ants is if you are seeing small holes in the wooden structures in your home. These holes are how they get into their nest. While they don’t spread any diseases or infection, the nests they build cause serious structural damage and this makes them very dangerous.
Now, odorous ants are not something you want to deal with. Their name says it all—they emit a foul odor when they are crushed. These ants are on the smaller end, ranging from 1/16th-1/8th of an inch in length and they are brownish-black in color. You are likely to notice these ants in your kitchen area, where they will feed on sugary items like fruit. This fact is what makes them a danger—they can contaminate your food as they forage. Other than that, odorous ants are more or less just nuisance pests.
Another ant common to Attleboro is the pavement ant. Pavement ants are small too, reaching only about 1/8 inch long. They are brown to black, with lighter colored legs and antennae. If you have a problem with these ants, you’re likely to see them in large quantities, especially in your kitchen where they will forage for food. Similar to odorous ants, they are more of a nuisance than anything else.
At this point, you’re probably wondering what you can do to avoid an ant infestation. The best plan of action would be to call pest control professionals for help, however, homeowners can implement a few general prevention techniques on their own. You can make sure all ant food sources are eliminated and stored properly; seal entry points from outside including holes, ripped screens, etc.; and fix cracks in the foundation. As mentioned before, these preventative measures will likely not be enough to fully keep ants away.
Big Blue Bug Solutions offers ant control services in Attleboro as well as throughout New England and Rhode Island. Our technicians know that in order to completely eradicate an ant colony, you need to find the source of the infestation. The entire colony needs to be eliminated or else the ants will just find their way back. This is why professionals are needed—they bring knowledge and equipment that homeowners just don’t have. Our residential pest control services consist of three preventative visits each year and if a pest problem occurs in-between each visit—don’t worry—we’ll come out for free! We have been protecting homes for over 80 years using the most effective, the cleanest, and safest solutions out there. Why worry about what will happen when ant season arrives? Get protection now and let Big Blue Bug Solutions take those worries away.