When one of our experienced exterminators treats your ant infestation, it may take more than one visit to kill the colony. Improvement should be seen quickly, but complete elimination can take anywhere from several weeks to a couple of months.
Because ants swarm, once you have an infestation, they can be difficult to dislodge. It takes vigilance and a combination of treatments using both home and perimeter insect control, but an ant problem can typically be resolved within a week or two. Follow-up prevention is key to ensure that they do not return.
While it is difficult to get rid of ants, it's by no means impossible. With regular pest-control service, you can keep them out of your home and out of your life. A regular pest-control maintenance plan for ant elimination may include the following: Full property inspection and determining the severity of infestation.
It's common to continue to see ants up to 3-4 weeks after treatment. Pesticides used for ants are designed to be returned to the nest, therefor removing the problem at its core. Be sure to follow the instructions that are provided to you by our pest control technicians.
Ants: treatment begins to work within 48 hours, but ants may remain for several weeks to several months depending on your property and the extent of the infestation. Cockroaches: two to eight weeks depending on your property and the extent of the infestation.
Whether baiting or using other materials to get rid of ants, after performing an ant treatment the problem will sometimes get worse! Ant problems can get worse depending on the ant treatment method used, but will get better over time.
Carpenter ants can and will wreak havoc on your home when left unchecked. If there's sawdust along your window sills, doors, or any other wooden surfaces, it's definitely time to call an exterminator quickly. The longer you wait, the more difficult and expensive it is to handle an ant invasion.
It's actually expected to see an increase in ants for the first few days after your first treatment. While the aim is to push the ants inside the home to the outside, the ants may try to escape the pesticide from the outside and will end up going inside the house.
The Ants Are Looking for a Source of Water
Sometimes, ants aren't interested in the food you have in the house, but a reliable source of water, especially during the hot season, when temperatures are extreme. Ants can use a leaking pipe or a faulty faucet to drink water, so make sure your plumbing is ok.
It's completely normal to see ants, spiders, and cockroaches come out in abundance after your first treatment. In addition, some treatment products are specifically designed to work slowly. Ants and cockroaches are both treated with such products.
Two of the best ways to eliminate ants are Borax and diatomaceous earth. Essential oils, including peppermint and clove, are a natural way to repel and kill ants. Food and moisture attract ants, so keep your home clean and dry to get rid of ants permanently.
Fact is, there is no single “ant season.” Ants may choose to enter buildings at any time of year seeking shelter from the elements, whether that means rain and cold or dry heat. And, of course, food and moisture are always attractants.
Black ants can cause structural damage. Their digging habits can cause shifts in the sands/turf under the house. This is not the best thing that can happen beneath your home. Aside from that, they can damage wooden foundations if it turns out you're dealing with carpenter ants.
Some colonies can survive up to eight months of starvation.
"Mix equal parts of vinegar and water, place the mixture in a spray bottle, and spray on the ants directly," says Barrett. "The mixture will kill them and you can clean the area by collecting the dead ants using a wet wipe or damp cloth," they add.
Peppermint is a natural insect repellant. You can plant mint around your home or use the essential oil of peppermint as a natural remedy for control of ants. Ants hate the smell, and your home will smell minty fresh! Plant mint around entryways and the perimeter of your home.
For apartments and homes, we recommend regular pest control treatments on a quarterly basis, or even bi-monthly, in order to effectively prevent common pests or when you move into a new home or apartment. For more serious infestations, monthly treatments over the course of 3 to 6 months are advisable.
The most common food sources that draw ants inside your home are the sweetest: spilled drops of soft drinks or fruit juices, candy, jellies and jams, cookies and other sweet baked goods, honey and syrup, and over-ripe fruit are some of their favorites.
Once a home's sealed and secure against new ants, an ant control company will get rid of the ant's inside your home. Ant traps are the most common method of ant extermination. Ant traps, or baits, can come in gels, granules, or station. Ant traps are usually sugar- or protein-based, to target ants' particular diets.
Pest control professionals use gel baits for ants. It is a handy solution that is effective if the anthill or nest is at the surface. The exterminator will apply the bait near the ant-infested areas and wait for the ants to ingest it.
It is advised not to squash ants, doing so will only release pheromones and trigger more ants to come to the location and cause more trouble to you and your family. Ants are known to pack a deadly bite that causes excruciating pain for a short time.
The wrong bait may not attract or fully eliminate the ant. If the store-bought ant eliminator you've tried hasn't done the trick, you need to call a professional. A pest control contractor can identify the ants and choose the correct treatment.
Ants will not stay in places in which there is no available food or water. Keep all food put away and crumbs and spills cleaned up. Seal left over food and pantry foods in pest proof containers. Look for even the slightest leak under faucets and drains and repair as needed.