A Complete Guide To Effective Ant Control For Homes In The Bay Area

For homeowners in the Bay Area, ants are a very common pest problem. They are lured by the promise of sweet or meaty foods as well as water sources. There are a variety of different types that homeowners might come across, some of which include pavement ants, fire ants, carpenter ants, and odorous house ants. Each ant has its own unique implications and potential issues. While some ants are relegated to the yard, others will find their way indoors via small cracks and crevices in foundations. This combination of factors can make preventing ant infestations a challenge. 

At Bay Pest, we have been providing pest control in the Bay Area for more than 40 years. We always put our customers first and we always provide a satisfaction guarantee. Our expert technicians follow Integrated Pest Management methods to deliver customized ant solutions that are as environmentally conscious as possible. The following guide is designed to help you better understand ants and how they interact with your home. If you’d like more information, please visit the ant control page of our website.   

Characteristics Of Common Ants

Living in the Bay Area means that homeowners might experience a variety of ant invasions either inside or outside of the home. Here are some of the area’s most common ants and what people should look for:

• Carpenter ants: These large black ants are largely associated with the issues that they cause with wooden structures. Carpenter ants have large angled antennae and are usually spotted around areas of wood. If homeowners have carpenter ants present, then they might notice piles of sawdust near walls, discarded wings on window sills, or hear subtle scratching sounds from inside walls. While carpenter ants don’t eat away at wood, their burrowing creates damage that is similar to termites. They are largely attracted to wood that has been damaged by water. 
• Odorous house ants: The odorous house ant gets its name from the pungent smell that it produces when it gets crushed. The smell of the odorous house has been compared to rotten coconut. These small ants are usually dark brown to black in coloring and are lured by the promise of sweets or water. Some of the strongest attractions for them are food crumbs, residue on stovetops, shampoo build-up in the shower, and anything that’s accumulating in the garbage. 
• Argentine ants: The Argentine ant is easy to distinguish because of its amber coloring. They usually invade properties that have significant yard clutter that provides them with dark and damp places to hide. Additionally, moisture problems inside can also be very alluring to them. Argentine ants are likely to live underneath a home’s foundation but will also make their way inside if a home possesses what they need. Part of why Argentine ants are such a significant problem is because their colonies can contain millions of members and multiple queens, so cutting them off becomes a challenge. 

For complete ant protection from these common ants and other possible species, call Bay Pest today!

Ants In The Home Can Create Many Problems 

Ants might seem like a harmless pest for Bay Area homeowners; however, there are some significant problems that their presence can lead to. Some of those issues include things that people might not expect:

• Attraction of other pests: Ants are one of the most preferred food sources by a variety of other home invaders. Some of the types of pests that eat ants include flies, beetles, pest birds, and spiders. The black widow spider is local to the area and is one of the most harmful pests around due to the venomous bites that it can deliver when it feels threatened.
• Health problems: There are certain species of ants that are associated with health problems instead of being a mere nuisance. Fire ants, in particular, are known for the health troubles that they can cause. If people disrupt their mounds or provoke them, then fire ants might deliver a venomous sting. While some people only experience swelling and a slight burning sensation, some people have difficulty breathing, hives, and nausea. Other types of ants are linked with the spread of E. coli, shigella, and salmonella.
• Property damage: If homes are invaded by an ant like the carpenter ant, then they might experience significant property damage issues. Carpenter ants burrow inside wood, which can cause it to be structurally unsound in a way that isn’t totally dissimilar to the damage that termites create. Some of the signs of carpenter ant activity include jammed windows or doors, wood that has a shredded appearance, and tiny pinholes in wood. 

The most effective way for homeowners to protect themselves from the problems that ants cause is with professional services from Bay Pest. We provide ongoing quarterly treatments for ants and the pests that eat them in order to create safer living environments. Our services are tailored to our customers’ exact needs and incorporate Integrated Pest Management methods in order to be as environmentally conscious as possible. For more information on total ant prevention, call us today. 

Five No-Nonsense Ant Prevention Tips For Around The House

Ants are pests that can get lured into homes around the Bay Area very easily due to the things that they are searching for. Here are five no-nonsense tips to try if you want to reduce your exposure to ants today:

1. Start with garbage. One of the most enticing factors for ants is kitchen garbage and recycling bins. Always use a bin with a lid that fits well and be sure to take the trash out before it accumulates. It’s also important to rinse out garbage bins to eliminate food residue. 
2. Look for leaks. Because ants are also lured by moisture issues, homeowners should keep their gutters cleared, fix any issues with plumbing or pipes, and always shut off fixtures completely after using them. 
3. Clean on a regular basis. Making sure that the home is properly cleaned is also very important in deterring ants. Pay special attention to sweet spills, whether that's juice in the kitchen or body soap in the shower. Vacuuming and sweeping floors often is also key in curbing the spread of crumbs, and making sure there is no food build-up on stove tops is also important. For homeowners who use an outdoor grill, cleaning between uses is imperative in order to eliminate grease and meaty oil that might attract fire ants. 
4. Be mindful of food. Another key way to prevent ant problems is to be thoughtful about the way food is stored. Ants don’t care what form food is in, so always opt for sealed containers whether storing food in the cupboard or counter. Always keep pet food in a secure container as well instead of leaving it in its original bag. 
5. Bring in professional help. For the most reassurance in the fight against ants, homeowners are best served by working with a pest control expert. They can benefit from routine treatments tailored to their unique needs and receive ongoing support in preventing future outbreaks. 

For more information on total ant prevention, call Bay Pest today. 

The Solution To Total Ant Control In The Bay Area

Homeowners in The Bay Area understand that encountering ants is a regular part of their daily lives. Ants are very quick to get attracted into homes and can find their way in thanks to structural flaws that people likely don’t know exist. Rather than continue to struggle with ant invasions, consider professional help with ant control from Bay Pest. 

We have been serving the Bay Area with great pride for more than 40 years. Everything that we do is driven by our dedication to our community and the strong sense of local pride that we feel. Countless homeowners have continued to work with us over the years because we make the entire process seamless and deliver the highest quality results. Our service begins with no-obligation inspections, includes customized solutions, and is always backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. 

For homeowners dealing with ants, we’ll start by performing a comprehensive property evaluation. This will give our technicians invaluable insight into the ways that ants are interacting with a home. We’ll be able to make proper identifications of the species of ants that are present, locate factors that are attracting them, and discover the ways that they are getting inside of homes. We use the findings from our inspections in order to customize a specific ant treatment plan that might include services such as perimeter sprays and treating ant nests. 

All of our services are based on the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach so they are as environmentally friendly as possible. By following this system, we can get at the root cause of ants to head off future infestations. And as part of the IPM method, we always make sure that our customers are well educated on the subtle yet impactful habit changes they can make in order to reduce ant attraction between our visits. We often recommend quarterly maintenance visits to re-apply any treatments and make adjustments where they’re needed. For more information on living free from ants with residential ant control, call us today.