When the summer hits, the tiniest invaders become the biggest problem. Ants come marching into our homes and get into just about everything. Some people find them in the kitchen, and others have them all over, from porches to bathrooms and everywhere in between!
If you’re experiencing a serious ant problem, there’s no easy solution. Spraying the nest can make them scatter into smaller colonies, only to relocate to another part of your home. Others could be living within the walls or floors of your home. You might not even know you have ants until it becomes a serious problem. What you can do is contact the professionals here at O’Connor Pest Control to make sure we get rid of these little critters for good.
What are the most common types of ants in Southern California?
There are 270 species of ants in California but in the Camarillo area, there are three main types you’ll encounter: Argentine ants, carpenter ants, and thief ants.
Argentine Ants
Argentine ants are ready and waiting to invade your home in search of food and water. Unfortunately, they’re an invasive species that displaces native ants, disrupting the local ecosystem. Overall, they can be incredibly destructive, wiping out other species and creating supercolonies of their own. Since they’re also effective foragers, they commonly infest homes, and it can be hard to get rid of them.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are wood-destroying insects that attack moist or decaying wood, burrowing through to create nests. Their natural habitat exists outdoors among fallen logs and rotting wood, but they can find their way into your home and do a lot of damage over time. While they aren’t going to cause as much destruction as quickly as termites, they’re still a big problem that should be addressed as soon as they are found on your property or in your home.
Just because you find them in your home, doesn’t necessarily mean that they have established a colony. They’re foragers too, just like most other ants. But if you suspect they might be eating away at a portion of your house, you should call an expert immediately.
Thief Ants
Thief ants are tiny, unique, and can be a huge problem. They are little brown ants that typically have colonies outside. Since they are so small, they will make their nests close to the nests of other species and create one small tunnel, connecting to the other nest. The thief ants then travel through the tiny tunnel to steal larvae and pupae from the other colony. They will use them as food while they forage for more. That is when they usually wander into your house.
Having these tiny ants in your home can be tragic. They can get into everything, even screw top peanut butter jars. Considering these little devils also eat dead animal carcasses, they can track those pathogens across everything that their bodies touch. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll get sick from a thief ant infestation, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Eliminating them should be your number one priority once they are found.
How can I prevent ants from coming into my home?
Dirty dishes, dirty countertops, crumbs on the floor and unfrequently emptied trash provides food sources for meal-seeking ants. It can become a major problem if ants establish colonies in walls, lawns, or under home foundations. The best way to prevent ants is to keep your home clean. Make it a habit to clean off surfaces in your kitchen and lift pet food before you go to bed at night. Always clean up spilled drinks, including water! Ants are attracted to sugary beverages like soda, but they always seek water and moisture for sustenance.
How can O’Connor Pest Control get rid of ants in my home?
There might be hundreds of types of ants in Southern California, but they can all be handled in a similar manner. It can be very difficult to pinpoint how they’re getting into your home and what problems they’re causing. Instead of spending a bunch of money on trial and error products, you should call in an expert.
O’Connor Pest Control can help get rid of colonies living in your home and prevent them from coming back. You can finally get the peace of mind you’ve always wanted in a pest-free kitchen.