HOW TO PREVENT ANTS IN SPRING
With warm weather on its way, the last thing that you need is an army of ants infiltrating your home and yard. However, come spring, hungry ants that have been quietly hibernating during winter will start to emerge and forage for food to resume their reproductive cycle. It won’t be long before you have a full-blown outbreak on your hands.
If you’re concerned about ants roaming around your home or business this spring, continue reading to learn more about how you can keep them away for good.
What questions will this article answer?
Why are there more ants in spring?
As they emerge out of their winter hibernation, ants will once again become more active and start foraging for food to resume their reproductive cycle.
Signs of an ant outbreak
You’ll notice that there are more ants around, travelling in trails, as well as ant nests. Carpenter ants leave wood shavings on the floor.
Problems caused by ants
They contaminate food, spread disease, trigger allergies with their bites and some can even damage buildings, electrical wiring and your plants.
How to prevent an ant outbreak in spring
Practice proper food storage, waste management as well as home and yard maintenance and cleanliness.
Professional ant prevention
After locating the feeding sites, we use a combination of either ant control dust, insecticide or chemical baiting to treat the outbreak.
Choose Allstate for fast and effective ant prevention
Our highly trained and knowledgeable pest technicians are available 24/7 to assist with ant infestations of any size in all suburbs of Adelaide.
Why are there more ants in spring?
As they are unable to regulate their own body temperatures, ants will slow down during winter to hibernate. They prefer to look for a place that is warm, such as your home, to take shelter during winter.
Once the mercury starts to rise in spring, ants will once again become active. They’ll be hungry and start foraging for food as they need to increase their energy levels to work, resume their reproductive cycle and scout for new areas to expand their colony.
This means that once the weather warms up, you may see many ants start to emerge around your home and yard, seemingly out of nowhere.
Signs of an ant outbreak
These clues will help you to know if you’ve got an ant problem around your home or business:
You notice more ants around
Ants travel to and from their food source and nest along well-defined trails, so look out for ant trails around your home and yard.
Dirt and soil mounds
If you see areas of raised dirt or soil with an opening at the apex, there is very likely an ant nest nearby.
Wood shavings (frass)
Carpenter ants leave behind debris as they tunnel through wooden structures.
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Problems Caused by ants
There are many reasons why you’d want to prevent an ant outbreak this spring. Here’s why:
Ants contaminate food and spread disease
As expert foragers, ants are no strangers to germs. Whether it’s rubbish, pet droppings or rotten food, ants encounter a wide range of germs such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. These can lead to illnesses such as salmonella and e.coli poisoning.
Ant bites
Besides a sharp pain, ant bites can also trigger allergies in some people which can appear as skin rashes, swelling and even anaphylaxis.
Ant outbreaks can happen quickly
A small trail of ants can multiply fast as they attract fellow ants to feeding sites through pheromones.
Carpenter ants can damage buildings
With the ability to chew through wood and build nests inside, carpenter ants can cause major structural damage to walls, panels, floorboards and beams.
Damage to electrical wiring
You may experience electricity disruptions due to ants crawling into wall sockets and chewing through wiring, resulting in a fire hazard.
Fire ants cause damage in the garden
With an appetite for vegetables such as corn, red potatoes and cucumber seedlings, fire ants will eat your food before it has a chance to make it to the dinner table.
How to prevent an ant outbreak in spring
Ant infestations are very preventable. There are some simple steps that we recommend you take to stay ant-free this spring.
Practice proper food storage by using tightly sealed containers and packaging, stowed away out of sight in the pantry. Don’t forget to keep pet food and water bowls covered.
Make sure that all waste is kept in tightly sealed bags, and rubbish bins and compost are covered properly.
Keep surfaces clean, such as bench tops, tables stoves and sinks by wiping and disinfecting any food spills. Thoroughly wash and store away all cutlery, tableware and utensils after use.
Vacuum and sweep floors regularly, be sure to check underneath and behind furniture.
You’ll want to inspect your home regularly and seal off all potential entry points such as holes, gaps, cracks and crevices with silicone and acrylic.
Keep your yard clean by removing piles of debris, vegetation as well as fallen fruit.
Remove tree branches and vegetation that are in contact with your home to reduce access.
Remember to check and fix all leaking pipes to reduce moisture, which attracts ants.
Professional ant prevention
Since ant outbreaks can escalate quickly, we recommend calling in an expert to minimise disruption to your home or business. Bear in mind that most treatments will require a period of time before you notice a visible reduction in the number of ants.
An Allstate pest control technician will begin with an initial assessment of the outbreak and locate all potential nesting sites indoors and outdoors.
We’ll then use one or more of the following treatment options, depending on the extent of the problem:
Ant control dust
This is sprinkled into hard-to-reach places such as wall cavities and roof voids.
Insecticide
We apply this to the perimeter of the buildings in treated zones.
Chemical baits
Positioned at feeding sites, the toxic compounds that are ingested by the ants are carried back to the nest to destroy the population.
We’ll replenish the treatment and review its progress as needed to make sure that the outbreak is well and truly under control.
Choose Allstate for fast and effective ant prevention this spring
With sunny days ahead, the last thing that you and your family need is an ant outbreak to ruin outdoor activities. That’s why we’re here to help safeguard your home or business this spring.
Our highly trained and knowledgeable pest technicians are available 24/7 to assist with infestations of any size in all suburbs of Adelaide.
With payment plans available and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, our ant prevention service includes treatments that are non-toxic to people, pets and the environment.
For long-lasting protection from ants that can last well beyond spring, contact Allstate today for a quote.