Professional Ant Removal Services
We will work closely with you to create an effective and long-lasting ant removal plan—minimizing the number of ants that enter your home. If you are interested in eco-friendly ant control that will ensure the safety of your pets and loved ones, contact us today to schedule your Eco-Wise™ Pest Control ant removal.
How Do I Locate an Ant Infestation?
Ants tend to gather in large numbers, and they are often easily seen outside. For effective ant pest control, the first step is to locate the source of the infestations. A simple way to locate the ant infestation is to follow interior trails to find out where they are coming into your home.
Where Do Most Ant Infestations Happen?
- Pantries
- Cabinets
- Kitchen appliances
- Pet food
- Trash and garbage receptacles
- Outside on foliage
Some questions we may ask you in order to get the full picture of your ant problem include:
- Where have you seen ants?
- How many ants have you seen?
- What are the ants feeding on?
- Have you seen ants outside?
- Have you seen ant mounds?
- Have you been bitten or stung by an ant?
- Have you seen any ant trails?
Are Ants Harmful?
Generally, carpenter, pavement, and acrobat ants are more of a nuisance than anything else. However, they can still pose the following threats:
Do ants bite?
- While it's unlikely for an ant to bite unless disturbed, it is still possible. Ants bite when they feel threatened and can pose a threat—especially to those who are allergic to wasps and bees.
Can ants cause damage to your home?
- Pavement ants are not known to cause much structural damage. However, carpenter and acrobat ants excavate wood and form smooth tunnels inside. While the damage might not be visible in the beginning, these ants may cause significant damage over several years. As the population of the colony grows, they will continue to create more tunnels—directly affecting the amount of damage.
Do ants attract other pests?
- If ants are present in your home, they may attract other pests such as spiders, bats, and birds that use them as a food source.
Do ants carry disease?
- While ants don't carry disease the same way that fleas or ticks do, they are still capable of transmitting food-borne disease organisms. This poses a threat as most ant infestations happen in pantries, cabinets, and kitchen appliances.
Preventing An Ant Infestation
Spring and summer is the busiest time of year for ants, and luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent them from entering your home:
- Store woodpiles away from the exterior of your home
- Inspect your home—sealing any gaps, cracks, or entry points
- Seal gaps around wires, pipes, and windows
- Clean up after every meal—minimizing the amount of food or crumbs that are exposed
- Trim trees, bushes, and plants to minimize the number of ants that crawl onto the exterior of the home
What Kind of Ants are in my home?
Identifying Ants
Acrobat Ants
Acrobats ants are small black ants that typically nest outside but can appear inside. They get their name from their tendency to lift their abdomen in the air. Acrobat ants are about 1/16–1/8 inch long. Queens range up to 3/8 inch long. They are typically light brown to black but are sometimes multicolored. Workers of many acrobat ant species may become aggressive and emit a repulsive odor when alarmed.
While acrobat ants most commonly nest in debris and woodpiles, ants can move into a structure and may be seen trailing along walks, walls, and siding. They prefer wood softened by decay fungi or Styrofoam insulation, but may enlarge cavities in wood made by other insects. They will occasionally strip the insulation from electrical or telephone wires, which can cause short circuits.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants get their name because they excavate wood in order to build their nests. Their excavation results in smooth tunnels inside the wood. Carpenter ants range in size from one-quarter inch for a worker ant to up to three-quarters inch for a queen.
Carpenter ants attack wood that is or has been wet and damaged by mold. Even though carpenter ants first invade wet, decayed wood, they may soon begin building paths through dry, undamaged wood. Carpenter ants can enter buildings through cracks around doors, windows, or through holes for wires. Carpenter ants will also crawl along overhead wires, shrubs, or tree limbs that touch the building far above the ground. These insects have the potential to cause significant structural damage to your home if not addressed promptly and treated properly.
Call Wildlife Management Services to Get Rid of Ants
Wildlife Management Services has the knowledge, equipment, and skills to take care of all your problems with ants and will show you how to get rid of them for good! Wildlife Management EcoWise Pest Control Services are available throughout the United States and Canada. If you are not in the Minneapolis area, please call 1.800.274.8837 to find an office near you.
We have the professional wildlife management solutions you need!