As long as ants roam the earth, they will eventually find their way into people’s homes. Their persistence doesn’t just pay off but is rewarded with crumbs on the floor and uncovered overflowing trash bins. And sadly, ants will continue to be one of the most common insect invaders.
Contacting your local pest control in the Bay Area is crucial once you’ve spotted ants in or around your home. And at Bay Pest Solution, Inc, we have the expertise and resources to provide our residents with the most effective ant control to decimate their colonies before they become a huge problem. Read on to learn more about these insects and how consistent ant pest control in the Bay Area can ensure that only you and your family consume your food.
What Do Ants Eat?
If you need a refresher on what an omnivore is, it is any living thing that derives nourishment from plants and animals. Ants are omnivores, so everything is fair game for a meal. When living in nature, ants typically feed on the following:
- Plant Sap
- Various Fruits
- Insect Eggs
- Aphids Milk
- Living Or Dead Invertebrates
However, once ants make it inside your home, they get a significant menu upgrade consisting of anything you eat, like sweets, breads, and meats. Ant control in your house starts with ensuring any uneaten food items are appropriately secured in tightly sealed storage containers and put away.
How House Ants Find Food: Scouting And Gathering
Ants are the ultimate forager. They can travel a great distance from their colonies in search of food and, with the ability to lift 50 times their body weight, can transport items without a problem. Ants utilize their antennae to sense food, leaving pheromones behind that act as GPS for the others to follow. Ants possess an amazing sense of smell. In a colony, the scouts' job is to seek out food sources; however, when the worker ants find food, they quickly return to the nest, leaving a scent trail along the way for the others to now begin the march towards the food. Once a worker ant finds food, it communicates with other ants using chirping sounds for all to feast.
What Happens If You Interrupt An Ant Trail
If you think getting rid of an ant problem is as easy as disrupting an ant trail, think again. It's not the trail itself that allows ants to find their way to food sources – it’s the scent they leave behind. So, destroying or sweeping away the trail won't eliminate the pheromones. You will have to take matters one step further. Create a vinegar and water mixture and spray it on areas where ants have traveled. For some added muscle, you can use a cleaner with ammonia to eliminate the pheromone-laden trail to stop more ants from using it to get to the food source. Before an ant issue worsens, reach out to your local ant control in the Bay area.
The Key To Keeping Ants Out Of Your Bay Area Home For Good
Notice one or two ants inside of your home? That’s a sure sign indicating there are many more hiding out. Even if you’ve taken preventative measures to keep ants out of your living space, those won’t do much to eliminate the ones that have breached your property. Here at Bay Pest Solution, Inc, we have provided effective ant control solutions for our Bay area residents for over 40 years. Whether we’re doing outdoor ant control or focusing our efforts on the inside of your home, we guarantee our treatments for long-lasting results. Contact us today to schedule your free inspection.