Are you seeing ants inside your home? Do you see an occasional ant worker crawling on a counter or window sill, or are ants entering in large numbers? Either way, it is helpful to know the risks associated with ant infestations, so you can guard your health and the health of your family. Join us today as we look at why ants get into homes, how they spread, and a few key ways they can cause trouble. We'll tell you how some Plano residents increase the health risks ants pose by misapplying ant control and give you some effective, all-natural ant prevention tips. We'll end by sharing how All-Safe Pest & Termite provides a great way to keep ants out of your home with little or no work on your part. And, of course, if you're at the point where you've had just about enough dealing with ants in your home and you want to talk with a professional about a solution you know will work, we're happy to speak with you. Give us a call for ant pest control in Plano, Texas. We are your local pest experts. We'll help you get things sorted out.

Ant Communication: How Infestations Develop And Spread

Before we discuss the risks associated with ant infestations in Plano, it is essential to consider ant behavior patterns because when ants enter your home, they begin to present problems. Let's take this step-by-step, starting outside in your yard. 

Ants are searching for food: When food decays, it creates an odor. That odor is off-putting to humans but not to ants. And, since it is so strong, guess what decaying food does? It attracts ants from a distance. When ants are drawn to the scent of decaying food, they come in contact with other organisms that are also drawn to decaying food. Some of these microorganisms are associated with human sickness. So the same dirty trash receptacle that attracts an ant problem can be a source of illness.

Some ants in Plano tunnel in wood: These ants are called carpenter ants. When carpenter ants explore the exterior of your home, they'll take notice of rotting wood because they carve tunnels in decaying wood. If they start tunneling in the wood of your home, they may not stop. Carpenter ants are known to go from rotting wood to wooden timbers that are not rotted.

Ants get into power boxes: As ants explore your exterior, they may find a tiny gap and enter your home. When they get into your wall voids, they can find their way into power boxes and outlets. They're also known to get into electronic devices. In these sensitive areas, they can cause electrical issues. If the lights aren't coming on in your kitchen, you may have an ant infestation.

Ants chew on wire coating: Certain ant species are prone to do this. If ants chew through the coating of a wire, it can lead to a house fire. While the risk is low, it is not a threat you should shrug off. There is no way of knowing if the conditions are right for this serious danger to grow. 

Ants recruit other ants: There are unique workers in an ant colony that are wired for long trips and isolation. They will travel quite a distance to find their way into your food cabinets. When a scout ant finds a food source, guess what it will do? It will travel back to the nest and lay down a scent trail as it goes. The scent of the trail is picked up by other workers. These workers collect food and add to the trail as they return. When ants do this, it increases the number of ants in your home by a staggering amount, which will increase the number of ants contaminating packaged foods and climbing on counters, dishes, and silverware. It will also increase the number of ants getting into outlets and chewing on wires.

All of these are ways ant behavior and the dangers ants present go hand-in-hand. But, some ants present a danger without your help. If fire ants start creating mounds next to your home and finding a way indoors, they are a stinging hazard and a serious threat to anyone who has a stinging insect allergy. But all of these dangers are minor compared to the risk of applying harmful materials to control ant problems in your home. Let's take a look.         

Ant Dangers: Understanding The Risks Of An Infestation

The primary danger associated with ants has less to do with ants and more to do with DIY ant control. When people go to the internet looking for how to get rid of ants, they learn about many control products that are available to eliminate ants. The worst of these are products that eliminate them on contact. Not only are these products topical and only treat the symptoms rather than the source, but they can also present a danger to children, pets, and adults.

What do we mean by treating the symptom? There are many ways to destroy ants on contact, and you don't need a harmful material to do it. We could give you many all-natural ideas, such as vinegar and water. But eliminating ants will not stop the ant colony from continuing to send ants into your home. It will only address the "symptom" of your problem, not the source.

The last thing you need is harmful control materials on your floors, counters, or cabinets. But indoor treatments aren't the only risk with these products. When you apply them outdoors, your kids and pets can come in contact with them while playing. As you apply ant control in your yard, you need to use products that are tamper-resistant or methods that don't require the use of control products. Let's take a look at ant prevention that is one hundred percent all-natural. 

Ant Prevention Is Key: Effective Tips And Tricks

We discussed how ants become a problem starting outside and working our way in. Now we'll turn the tables and start on the inside and work our way out. Ant control begins inside your home. The first step is to address the reasons ants enter your home in the first place.

• Keep your home clean to remove odors that attract ants and crumbs that give them a bite to eat.
• Keep food contained, particularly if you leave it out for a while.
• Create a meal time for your pets, and only put food down for a short time.
• Consider cleaning dishes as you go.
• Clean your interior trash receptacle regularly.
• Remove trash from your kitchen routinely to prevent food from sitting in the receptacle long enough to cause an ant-attracting aroma.
• Address plumbing issues to remove water as an attractant. Ants can collect water droplets and carry them on their backs like little backpacks.
• Seal gaps around the pipes that enter your home underneath your kitchen sink.
• Seal around your window and door frames.
• Replace weatherstripping and door sweeps that are wearing out around exterior doors.
• Patch damaged screens
• Cut tree branches that touch your exterior walls, trim tall grass near your foundation, and manage your landscaping so no plants touch your foundation or walls.
• Blow leaves out of your landscaping to remove ideal habitats and hunting grounds for ants that eat bugs and other insects.
• Address aphids and other plant-damaging insects that get into your landscaping, as these pests produce honeydew, a sweet food source for ants.
• Pluck weeds and apply weed control products to your lawn. Doing so will reduce sources of plant sap and nectar.

Diligent yard and home maintenance can have a surprisingly big impact on ants. When you take the time to roll your sleeves up and take these simple steps, you may get complete control of ants without harmful products.

Professional Ant Control: A Great Way To Keep Ants Out For Good

When you want to keep ants out of your home, a great option is year-round residential pest control for your home. Programs like Safe Select Pest Control and Protection Plus Pest & Termite Control give you general pest management, including ant control solutions. We deal with home-infesting ants, annoying landscape ant problems, and potentially harmful fire ant mounds. We also address a key food source ants are looking for on your property, namely other pests. On top of these targeted solutions, we also apply a crack and crevice treatment to keep ants and other pests from entering your home. Are the professional materials used for crack and crevice treatments and other ant control products safe for pets and children? They are when they are selected and applied by a licensed applicator.   

Are you in Plano, Texas? Contact All-Safe Pest & Termite for professional ant control near you. We can address any indoor ant infestations and put you on track to manage pests around your home and keep them out permanently. Chat with one of our friendly agents to learn more or to get advice. We're here to help.

Had my initial setup and install today, and everything went very well! Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Feel so much better after making the switch to All-Safe!!

K. Cloud

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