If this is your first time learning about the ant that is associated with the plagues of Egypt, you will find some great information here. If you're well aware of how much of a plague Pharaoh ants can be, you're likely to bookmark this article for a quick reference to helpful preventative tips.

Let's discuss what Pharaoh ants look like and how they behave, why ants are one of the worst ants in terms of health risks, and how to naturally deter these ants from getting into your home. If you need immediate assistance with a Pharaoh ant infestation and you need pest control in Frisco, hop to our contact page and reach out to us.

How To Identify Pharaoh Ants

It is important to know what ant pest you're dealing with, particularly if you have a Pharaoh ant problem. Why? Because Pharaoh ants have a pesky behavior called budding. There are multiple queens inside a Pharaoh ant colony. If a colony is disturbed, it can turn into two, three, or many colonies. This is as bad as it sounds. Here are a few ways you can identify Pharaoh ants:

• They are about 1/16 of an inch in length.

• The workers are all the same size.

• They are usually pale and vary from yellow to red. This can make them appear gold or reddish.

• The abdomen of a Pharaoh ant is darker than the body - often much darker.

• You're likely to see a lot of these ants all in one place.

• You're likely to find them on hummingbird feeders, soda cans, glasses that had juice in them, and in other places where sweet liquids can be found.

• You're likely to see them on your counter near faucets and sinks. These ants are attracted to moisture.

If you need assistance with ant identification, take a picture of the ants you're finding. You can send this picture to us here at All-Safe Pest & Termite or to an entomology department of a University for help.

Why Pharaoh Ants Are Considered Dangerous

When Pharaoh ants get into a hospital, they are a serious concern for the spread of dangerous diseases. Fortunately, in your home, they're not nearly as much of a health concern. This is because they aren't exposed to the organisms that lead to serious illness. While they can pick up harmful bacteria in your trash or other dirty places and spread them to sensitive locations, the resulting illness is likely to be minor stomach ailments. One concern to be aware of is a pet that has an open wound. These ants will get into open wounds and expose themselves to bacteria that could lead to greater disease concerns.

The Safe & Effective Way To Get Rid Of Pharaoh Ants In Your Home

Now that you know important facts about these ants, let's get into ant control for your yard and home. There are primarily these levels of protection. The first level addresses ant activity. When you reduce ants, you reduce your chances of having ants in your house or you get ants to leave your house. The second level creates physical barriers ants can't easily penetrate. But these exclusions don't provide a complete seal. It doesn't take much of a gap for a tiny Pharaoh ant to get inside. The third level of protection is targeted ant pest control. This is an application of products to eliminate ant colonies.

Level One

This is a mixture of outdoor ant control and indoor ant control. When Pharaoh ants come into your yard, they're going to be looking for sweet sources of food, mostly. Some colonies can take to eating protein as well.

• Address lawn weed problems and quickly deal with aphids to reduce sweet foods like nectar and honeydew.

• Remove hummingbird feeders or place them well away from your exterior.

• Manage your trash to remove smells that attract Pharaoh ants.

• Move stacked wood, brush piles, leaves, and other organic material away from your exterior.

• Address conditions that cause standing water on your property, such as fixing gutter breaks and clogs. 

• Replace exterior white lights with lights that cast yellow light. Insects are attracted to white light but can't perceive light in the yellow spectrum. This can reduce ants and the insects ants eat.

• On the interior of your home, keep things as clean and dry as possible. This removes the food and moisture Pharaoh ants are looking for.

These steps reduce ant activity around your home and potentially drive ants to move out.

Level Two

Seal your exterior walls and foundation to stop ants from getting inside. Here are a few key locations:

• Around pipes and wire conduits

• Around exterior doors

• Vent openings

• Foundation wall cracks

• Rotting wood, particularly sole plates

A caulking gun is a great tool for sealing your exterior. Also consider replacing weatherstripping, door sweeps, screens, and other protective building materials.

Level Three

The greatest level of protection is to apply products that eliminate colonies. When you need targeted ant pest control in Frisco, let the highly trained and experienced pest professionals here at All-Safe Pest & Termite help. We provide ant treatments that can give you ant control in your house and year-round pest control plans that give you effective ant control in your yard. Connect with us today for service.   

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