Spring is Here and So are the ANTS
Ants in Maryland often find their way into people’s houses, causing irritation as they come by the hundreds to invade food stores. In this post, we discuss how to recognize an ant invasion and what you should do about it.
The Life Cycle Of Ants
Every ant starts life as an egg, which hatches into a white, legless larva. After spending several weeks in the pupa stage, ants emerge as sterile females and leave the nest to look for food. Although ants typically nest in soil, they often come into houses looking for food or shelter.
Ant Behavior
When an ant finds a source of food, it alerts other members of the colony, which can lead to long trails of ants marching through the house from the nest to the food source. Although ants can bite humans, most species are more interested in harvesting the contents of our pantries.
Where to Look for Ants
The easiest way to locate an ant colony is to follow the trail of marching ants. This will reveal the point where the ants are getting into the house and the location of the ant colony. The natural ant habitat is soil, so homeowners can usually expect to find the ant colony outside. Certain species of ants, including carpenter ants, make their homes in wood. All ants are attracted by open food containers, so check around the pantry and kitchen first in the search for an ant invasion.
Prevention and Treatment of Ants
Ants come into our homes in search of food, so the best way to avoid attracting them is to keep all food locked away in sealed containers or the refrigerator. All cracks should be quickly repaired to prevent ants from getting into the building. Ant baits, which combine some sweet food with a toxic ingredient, can also be used to attract and kill scouts that come in looking for food. Once ants have invaded in large numbers, it is often necessary to spray an insecticide around the foundation of your home to kill the invaders.
What to Do if You See Ants in Your Home
This spring as the weather warms, you are likely to see Ants come out in full force. The best way to deal with them is to contact us at Eco Care. Dealing with ants often requires regular treatments of the perimeter of the home. We can safely treat your home with eco-friendly proven pesticides to kill ants and prevent them from coming back. Let us put our knowledge of entomology and our years of experience in the Howard County area to work for you.
What kind of Ant is that?
Ask Erich, our board certified entomologist. He’ll quickly identify your pest and find a solution for your problem.
