If there's one pest that tends to get underestimated, it's the ant. Despite their small size, home-invading ants can cause all sorts of trouble for Katy homeowners. Here's what Katy residents should know about the behavior of home-invading ants, how dangerous they can be, how to get rid of ants, and why pest control in Katy is the best way to deal with these pests.
Habits & Behaviors Of Home-Invading Ants
While they may look the same at first glance, several kinds of ants can invade Katy homes, and not all of them are attracted to the same things, behave the same way, or cause the same types of problems. Some of the most common ants in Katy include:
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Argentine ants: With light brown to dark brown coloring, Argentine ants are quite invasive and can create multiple colonies in the same home.
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Carpenter ants: Carpenter ants like to chew through wood to create their nests. With enough time, these ants can cause structural damage to homes.
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Pharaoh ants: With tan to yellow coloring, pharaoh ants can carry bacteria and can be a huge problem in both homes and healthcare facilities.
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Thief ants: Thief ants may nest close to other ants so they can steal their food. These ants are especially fond of greasy foods.
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Odorous house ants: Odorous house ants love to invade homes in search of food and emit a foul, musty odor that's often described as similar to rotten coconuts when crushed.
While these aren't the only types of ants in Katy, they are the most likely to invade Katy homes.
It Can Be Dangerous To Have Ants In Your Home
They may be small, but that doesn't mean ants don't cause big problems in Katy homes, including:
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Food contamination: Most ants are after your food, which means they'll crawl across counters, into cupboards, or pantries. If they have access, ants will contaminate almost any food source they can, including leftovers or dirty dishes.
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Nuisance: Not only is it annoying to shoo away ants anytime you're trying to cook or eat food, but since they grow large colonies, ants can be extremely difficult to eliminate.
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Bacteria: Not all ants carry bacteria, but some species, like the pharaoh ant, can carry dangerous bacteria like staphylococcus or salmonella.
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Property damage: Some ants, like carpenter ants, can cause structural damage when they chew through and nest in the wooden elements in your home.
Even if they don't cause damage or spread bacteria, all ants can be a nuisance and contaminate your food.
Easy & Effective Ant Prevention Tips For Around The House
When it comes to easy ant control for homeowners, here are a few simple, natural ways to prevent these pests from getting inside your home:
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Store your food products in a sanitary way, such as keeping leftovers in sealed containers in the fridge and other foods in air-tight packages.
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Make sure you're regularly emptying both indoor and outdoor trash cans, and when there is food in the garbage, you may want to use a locking lid or keep the can completely sealed.
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Use caulk, expanding foam, or some other type of sealant to seal up any holes, gaps, or cracks that ants may use as entry points around your home. Weatherstripping and door sweeps are also important barriers against ants.
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Get rid of rotting or water-damaged wood around your home or property, which is likely to attract carpenter ants.
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Regularly sweep up crumbs that may have fallen on the floor, and make sure you're cleaning up spills and food remnants as soon as you notice them.
In addition to the tips above, you can use a pest control company like All-Safe Pest & Termite for ant control in Katy.
Professional Ant Control Is A Great Solution For Katy Homes
While you can use the tips above to try and prevent ants in your Katy home, the real secret to total ant control in Texas is working with All-Safe Pest & Termite. Regardless of whether you're dealing with a nuisance ant, a destructive ant, or even a dangerous one, our green, eco-friendly solutions can get the job done.
All of our services come with a satisfaction guarantee, so if you are spotting ants around your Katy home, there's only one thing to do. Contact us today at All-Safe Pest & Termite to learn more about how our ant control program works or to request a free estimate for your Katy home.
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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