Ant-Proofing Your Concord Home: An All-Inclusive Control Guide
Many people underestimate the amount of damage that an ant infestation can cause. These tiny insects are able to infest your home, contaminate your food, and could even cause damage to the insulation behind your walls. At Peeler Environmental, some of our Concord pest control technicians have been dealing with ants in this area for over 40 years. We know how to stop an ant infestation in its tracks and keep these little pests off your property for good.
The Life Cycle Of Ants: How Infestations Develop And Spread
Ants live in large colonies that can have several thousand ants living in one nest. All ants start as an egg. Once the egg hatches, a larva will emerge and eventually turn into a pupa and then an adult. Once the ant reaches adulthood, it will go into one of three groups:
- Reproductives: The majority of the reproductive ants are males. Their only job is to mate with the queen.
- Queen: The queen is usually the only female reproductive ant in the colonies. However, some ant species will have several queens living together in one nest.
- Workers: The worker ants don't reproduce, but that is the only job that they don't do. This type of ant makes up the majority of the colony, and they are tasked with caring for the queen, feeding and taking care of the larva and baby ants, building the nest and tunnels, and foraging for food.
No matter which caste system the adult ant belongs to, every ant's job is focused on growing the colony. A queen ant can lay around 800 eggs a day. And with several hundred worker ants taking care of and feeding the developing larva, it doesn't take long for a small colony of ants to mature into a large colony with several thousand members.
The Dangers Of Ants: Understanding The Risks Of Infestations
Ants in Concord are so tiny that many people think they are harmless. And while these creatures can be annoying, they are much more than your typical nuisance pests. Ants can carry and spread a wide range of illnesses to you if they can walk over or around your food. Some illnesses that ants can transmit to humans include staph infections, streptococcus, and salmonellosis.
Ant Prevention Is Key: Effective Tips And Tricks
There are several easy steps that you can take to keep ants away from your home. Some of the most popular preventative measures include:
- Keep food in an airtight container or a secured ziplock bag
- Don't leave food crumbs or food residue around your home
- Fix any leaky pipes or other moisture issues that you have around your home
- Don't let your indoor trash cans become heaping over
- Keep the grass in your yard cut short and keep your entire lawn well-maintained
It is also a good idea to check your home's exterior walls to ensure there are no cracks or gaps around them. Because ants are usually only ⅛ of an inch long, they are able to squeeze through openings that most people may consider small and insignificant.
Professional Ant Control: A Great Way To Keep Ants Out For Good
The best way to keep pesky ants out of your home is to enlist the help of a professional ant control specialist. At Peeler Environmental, we have decades of experience in ant control, and we know how to quickly and effectively eliminate the ants from your Concord home. Give us a call today to get your free estimate.