5 Simple Steps to Prevent Ant Infestations.

The presence of ants inside your home or apartment can be a seasonal or year-round problem.

Many species of ants build their nests outdoors and become a real nuisance when looking for food indoors. Once they discover a good food source, the ants continue to come in, collect food, and head out to take it back to their outdoor colony. However, other ant species enter buildings and dwellings, build their nests there, and become permanent, indoor residents, rent-free!

There is a lot to consider when it comes to identifying ants and choosing the right product to eliminate anthills.

The first consideration to bear in mind is that there is no point in pouring repellent on the ants without finding the anthill, as they will continue to appear. Thus, it is best to consider an approach that involves an inspection, identification of the ant species, the appropriate treatment and necessary monitoring to resolve the situation once and for all.

Thus, before starting any treatment, it is imperative to identify the ant species and find its colony or nest.

It is also important to find out how the ants got into the house. Ants are usually found close to their food sources, moisture points and in protected and hidden places. They particularly prefer holes in walls, the bottom of appliances or air conditioners, window or wall skirting boards or other similar places.

Ants are commensal pests, which means they like to live close to people and feed on the same things we do – sweets, meats, starches and liquids, especially water. Thus, it is also important to define what kind of food the ants prefer since this fact helps to determine the species of ant with which we are dealing.

Despite the inspections you can do, finding an anthill can be very difficult. Regardless, don’t doubt that the key to ant control will always be to find and eliminate the colony or nest. If you can’t find the colony, put the ants to work for you! The most effective way to get them to take the insecticide product to the nest is to apply a non-repellent residue on which the ants can feed and take it back to the colony.

There are, however, some tips to minimize the entry of this pest into your home:

Eliminate food sources – Keeping your kitchen tidy will discourage ants from entering your home. Clean counters and sweep floors regularly. Store food in sealed containers and keep ripe fruit in the refrigerator. Clean up any sticky jars, use lids on trash cans and empty them regularly.

Eliminate water sources – Reducing stagnant water inside the house and sources of humidity, fixing leaky pipes and checking gutters is half the battle so that ants don’t get used to going looking for water inside your house;

Pets – animal bowls are attractive to ants, both for water and food. Keep bowls clean, store dry food by sealing the opening and place unused wet food in the refrigerator. Also, regularly inspect the animal’s access doors and the kennels placed in the backyards;

Block Access Points – Inspect the exterior of your home. Trees and shrubs should be considered as branches that provide direct access for ants. Seal cracks and crevices on the outside of the house, especially in areas where pipes enter;

Don’t fight this fight alone! – Without the necessary knowledge and the right tools, fighting ants can be a tough and frustrating battle. An infestation can continue to grow out of control if not treated properly. Some species of ants can damage your home or even put your family at risk, as they can contaminate food!

If you can’t get rid of ants yourself, or if you have a particularly severe ant problem, hiring a professional pest control company may be a good option.

Extermínio – Higiene Controle, Lda. performs a free survey to identify the causes of the problem.

We are accredited professionals in the urban pest control sector, and we provide effective treatment.