Ants: What You Really Need To Know
February 27, 2019
Ants are known to be the most common pest at home. They can be found literally anywhere, especially where there is food. They exist in the bedroom, attic, basement, porch, lawns, even the small crevices and cracks on the walls. Most people think that ants are only attracted to sweets. The truth is, ants are attracted to any potential food, including dead insects.
Information About Ants
Ants are considered as winter pests because they look for houses for warmth and shelter against the cold weather. Once they have found a place to infest, they start to inhabit and reproduce. Ants pose a great nuisance in the household. Apart from the fact that they can damage the packaging and spoil our food, they can destroy our belongings as well.
Once ants found their way into our stored food, they create an entrance for bacteria, making it harmful for us to eat. These tiny creatures leave some kind of trail for their fellow ants to follow. Once they do, they start to carry chunks of food from storage and compile it in their nest to feed the young and to feed their queen. In turn, this attracts other insects to infest the home such as cockroaches, spiders, pantry moths, and others.
Ant Infestations
Ants can also infest our appliances and accessories, causing damage and destruction to our properties. Once ants found their way inside an electrical appliance, they can damage the wires and fuses, increasing the chance of a short circuit. Ants can gnaw insulators and wires increasing the probability that the appliance will no longer work. Furthermore, did you know that ants can bring bacteria inside your home as well? Ants crawling all over dirty places. Sometimes, they even prey on dead cockroaches, beetles, and spiders. Who knows what kind of illness they can bring to our family?
Imagine the hassle of always cleaning utensils and checking stored food, afraid of the illness that these ants can bring. There are also ant species that can bite humans and animals when threatened. The fire ants, for example, can cause fever and irritation to humans once bitten.
If you have children at home, you can see how this is a problem. Kids are very curious about things they do not understand. Plus, their skin is very sensitive, a bite from a fire ant can indeed compromise their safety. This is the reason why we should never take the existence of ants for granted inside our home.
Prevention
To prevent ants from infesting our household, it is important to maintain a clean environment. Clean as you go, especially when dealing with food. If possible, regularly check and clean your compartments and storage units to prevent any ant from establishing a home.
If you are having ant problems in your lawn, experts have found that spraying diluted vinegar, citrus, baking soda, and lemon juice can help prevent ants from infesting your lawn. Look for ant-infested plants and spray it with the solutions mentioned above.
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