Dealing with any type of a pest infestation is unpleasant, but an ant problem seems to be one of the
most annoying. When you spot a few ants in your home, you know that there are likely hundreds more where they came from. There are many things that will determine if your home is likely to be faced with an ant infestation. Take a look below at the five tips to define if your house is at risk for an ant
infestation.
Is There Easy Access To Your Home?
Your home may be open to an ant invasion and you may not even realize it. Ants are so tiny in size, and therefore can make their way inside through the smallest of cracks. If you have seen more ants than normal making their way inside your home, take a look around to see where they may be gaining access. Check window and door seals to ensure that they are snug, and if they are not, use a caulking seal to close up the gaps. If you don’t have screens on your windows, consider installing them immediately. If you happen to see a line of ants, trace them back to their entry point. This may be the only way to ensure that you are able to take care of the issue, since the space they are coming through may be quite miniscule.
Do You Have A Constant Mess?
If you aren’t the best at keeping your home spic and span, this could be the reason for your ant infestation. While we all know how difficult it can be to keep your home clean at all times, it’s essential to keep your kitchen area cleaned up. Crumbs left on the floor and spills left to dry on the counter are like a beacon to ant invaders. They are constantly looking for food sources, and your leftovers are the perfect meal in their eyes. After cooking or preparing a snack, wipe down counters and sweep up anything that has fallen to the floor. Take care to rinse dishes and put them away immediately, and never leave food out on the counters to sit.
Is There Easy Access To Food?
While on this same train of thought, consider how you are storing your food. If you leave fruits or
veggies out on the counter or dry goods in opened bags in the pantry &/or anywhere else, you may be asking for an ant army to make their way inside. It’s important to store your food in airtight containers that ants and other bugs can’t get into. Glass, hard plastic, or metal containers are the best way to ensure that bugs stay out of your food source.
Do You Have Excess Vegetation?
If you know the inside of your home is as ant-proof as possible, yet you still seem to have an issue, you may want to take a look outside. If you have shrubs, vegetation, or overhanging trees that are right against your home, there is a good chance this is where your problem is originating. If you suspect that this is your setback, cut back anything that is touching your home so that it is a safe distance from the walls, and keep an eye on the growth in the future.
Do You Skimp On Pest Control?
If you don’t typically have an issue with insects or rodents in your house, it’s easy to think that you have no need for pest control. However, by skipping out on pest control services altogether you are leaving your home unprotected. Speak with a pest control expert in your Cincinnati area to determine how often you should have routine service at your home. Some areas may call for quarterly service, while others may only need a twice-yearly checkup. A trained pest control technician will be able to take a look around your home and consider the area that you live in to determine what the best solution is for you.
By taking a good look at your home, you will likely be able to determine if you are at a high risk for an ant invasion. By taking precautions early, you will be able to avoid the headache that comes along with an infestation. Luckily, these same defenses do well to ward off a number of other insects, so by taking these measures your home will be protected against more than just ants.