Ants become a problem when they start foraging and leaving damages in different parts of your home. At one point you’ll notice that there are ant trails in your home and sometimes you’ll get swarmed by flying ants. There are times when you would have a hard time differentiating flying ants and termites or any other insects.
Why you’re Having Foraging Ants
You may be wondering why you got these ants in your home. Well, the main reason behind this unexpected infestation is that they were able to find food in your home. This is enough reason for them to stay and be able to feed their huge colonies.
Despite using a kitchen spray, it won’t completely get rid of these ants. The ones you see on your counter is just a small portion of what they have in their colonies. You need to track down where they are hiding and reproducing continuously to stop the infestation. Thus, the need for proper identification of the species and performing a thorough inspection to find where their colonies are.
Should Flying Ants Worry You?
You can easily mistake flying insects for ants or termites. Seeing winged ants in your home indoors or outdoors should not be a problem since these are mostly reproductive ones flying around to mate. However, you should take precautionary measures if you realize that you are having swarming termites.
Unless you’ve conducted a termite inspection and you’ve confirmed that you have a termite infestation, you can assume that the flying insects you see are termites. However, if you are unsure, it is highly recommended that you learn how properly conduct an inspection and know the right treatments for the infestation.
Performing Thorough Ant Inspection in your Home
When performing thorough ant inspection, make sure that you carefully check both outside and inside your home. This will help you find areas where the nests are located, identify the ant species, and monitor the ant activities. Start by looking for ants indoors and then outdoors.
Finding Ants Indoors
To start inspecting ants indoors, look for ant trails and follow where they are coming from to locate where they entered your home. These entry points can be anywhere in your home like around water pipes, electrical outlets, and even the gaps along baseboards.
Certain types of ant species mostly prefer moist areas to build their ant colony and hide their eggs. To inspect carpenter ant damage in your home, start with finding moist areas where they have possibly built their nest. Bathrooms and kitchens are among the first areas where infestation starts. With your flashlight, you can search under and behind stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, cabinets, sinks, and microwaves.
You should also check around the motor areas of microwaves and refrigerators, floor drains, around walls, in cracks and crevices of kitchen cabinets, and behind wallpapers. One way to confirm the exact point of their nest is by using baits. It is recommended that you choose different kinds of baits as this will also help you determine the type of ants infesting your home. This will help you find the suitable type of bait for the ant species and create a more effective ant treatment program.
If you find flying ants and ants foraging indoors, there is a great chance that they are hiding in wall voids, ceiling, or crawlspaces. In such situations, thorough inspection of such areas is required to find their nests and treat and destroy their nests before they move to another place.
Tip: Using different baits in rotation will also help you determine what ants in your home prefer eating between gel or liquid baits and paste or granule baits. As you choose the right type of bait, you can rest assured that your efforts are paying off. In time, you will slowly getting rid of your ant problem.
Finding Ants Outdoors
Outside, you can start inspecting structural foundation, trees, shrubs, walkways, and mulched areas. Check for nests in vegetation and mulch right next to your home’s foundation. You should also check under stepping stones, potted plants, and patio blocks. Don’t forget to check piles of firewood, lumber, and rocks, as these are common moist areas where the colony can’t be disturbed.
Ant species like carpenter ants will most likely hide in wooded areas so it is highly recommended that you inspect these spots. To get rid of flying ants and all foraging ants in your home, take time to inspect utility and electrical boxes outdoors and dirt mounds. Checking under the siding of structures is also crucial in dealing with flying ants and other types of ants.
Should You Use DIY Ant Control Products or Call a Pest Control Company?
There are a lot of affordable and effective products that you can use to control and eventually get rid of the ants infesting your home. It takes efforts and patience to do this, but as long as everyone in the household takes part in preventing these ants from coming back, you can make sure that all the products you use will work.
Considering a pest control expert is also recommended if the infestation is getting difficult to control. It is more expensive, but it can be your last resort if you have no time for DIY solutions or prefer it as a quick solution for your ant problem.
