Ants are one of the most common household pests in Worcester, MA, and they can sneak inside your home without warning. Once they’re inside, they can take over your kitchen, contaminate your food, and in some cases, even cause property damage.
Your trusted Worcester pest control team at Big Blue Bug Solutions wants to help you get rid of active infestations and keep the ants from coming back once and for all. Let’s look at the types of ants common to Worcester, how they infest your home, and how you can keep them from becoming a problem.
Identifying Common Ant Species
Worcester is home to many different ant species, but some are more common than others. Here are a few species that are commonly found in homes in the area:
- Carpenter ants: Carpenter ants are much larger than other species and tend to be brown or black in appearance. These ants burrow into wood in your home and leave tell-tale piles of sawdust and wood dust in their wake.
- Odorous house ants: Odorous house ants are actively attracted to food and food waste. They tend to infest kitchens, pantries, cupboards, and other food storage areas. These little black ants are very small and dark in appearance.
- Pharaoh ants: Pharaoh ants are small, yellowish ants with dark abdomens. They are particularly problematic as they are known carriers of several human pathogens.
By recognizing the most common species, you’ll be better able to explain what’s happening when you schedule a pest control appointment.
How Little Ants Can Become A Big Problem
Ants rarely ever infest a home as a group without first sending a scout indoors. This scout looks for ideal habitats, sources of food, and reliable sources of water before communicating their findings with the rest of the colony. If the conditions in your home are favorable, the colony will gradually send more ants inside.
Once the ants are inside, they can contaminate food and potentially damage your furniture, your walls, and your electrical wiring as they build their nests and harvest materials. If caught too late, the damage can be extensive, and you’ll have to pay for costly repairs on top of getting rid of the infestation.
Five No-Nonsense Ant Prevention Tips For Around The House
Though it’s possible to get rid of active ant infestations in your Worcester home, it’s far better to find ways to prevent those infestations in the first place. Here are a few proven ant prevention tips you can implement around your house:
- Keep your kitchen as clean as possible. Sweep up crumbs, wipe down your countertops daily, and take the trash out several times each week.
- Pick up pet food bowls. Rather than leaving your pets’ food bowls out, pick them up and wash them as soon as they’re done eating.
- Check your doors and windows for gaps. Ants need entry points to access your home, and most slip through cracks around doors and windows. Seal off those cracks as soon as you find them.
- Keep your home dry. Ants are attracted to high humidity levels. Use a dehumidifier in damp areas like the bathroom, basement, and laundry room.
- Schedule routine ant pest control appointments. Have a professional pest control team inspect and treat your home at least twice a year for the best results.
As long as you follow these tips, you’ll reduce the risk of ant infestations in your home.
The Key To Total Ant Control For Your Home
The best way to keep ants from coming into your home is to schedule professional ant pest control treatments with your trusted pest control company. At Big Blue Bug Solutions, we use the latest technology and equipment to keep all ant species from damaging your home.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment and keep ants out of your Worcester home once and for all.