Home to the largest winery and arguably the best donuts on the West Coast, Modesto offers an array of delicious culinary experiences that bring tourists from all over the United States. But tourists aren’t the only ones who enjoy the urban delights Modesto has to offer. Homeowners confront unwelcome insects invading their homes and their cabinets. Once ants invade, it’s hard to get them out of your home. We have a few tips on how to keep ants out of Modesto homes.
Modesto Ants
California is home to over 270 ant species. The most common ants you will find in your Modesto home or yard are odorous house ants, thief ants, carpenter ants, and red imported fire ants.
Odorous ants give off a stench when crushed. These ants are brown or black in color and grow to be around 1/8 inch in length. The smallest of house ants, the thief ant is pale yellow in color. The carpenter ant is the most dangerous ant to have inside your home. Carpenter ants tunnel through wood to build their nests. These ants can destroy the wood inside your home, resulting in expensive repairs. Red imported fire ants build their nests above ground. If you accidentally step on one of them, you’re in for a shock. Their stings can be dangerous when they trigger an allergic reaction or cause a secondary infection.
Once any of these ants invade your home, they are hard to get out. That’s why prevention is crucial.
How Do Ants Get Into Modesto Homes?
Ants can get into your home through the smallest of gaps and cracks. Because of their small size, ants slip through the spaces around your doors and windows, through utility pipes or wiring holes, or through cracks in the foundation around your home.
How can you stop them? You can limit ants’ entry into your home by checking window and door screens around your home. Repair any broken screens. In addition to checking for damaged screens, installing door sweeps can help limit the flow of ants into your home. You know you’ve ant-proofed entryways if you can no longer see any light coming in from under or over doors and windows.
Fill any cracks in and around your home with caulking. Steel wool helps fill larger holes around piping and wiring. Then, you can apply caulking for an ant-resistant seal.
Why Are Ants Taking Over My Home?
So, you’ve done your best to keep ants out by limiting their points of entry. But what can you do to prevent them inside your home? We’ve got some tips for you to remedy the factors that are attracting ants inside your home.
Store food in airtight containers and dispose of trash regularly: Because ants have powerful odor receptors, they can sense food at great distances. A scout ant will check things out, and when it finds food, it can communicate to its colony through pheromones that it has found a food source. By storing food in airtight containers, ants will not be able to contaminate your food sources. Similarly, storing trash properly and disposing of it often can help prevent ants.
- Clean up any food spills or crumbs immediately: Even the smallest splash of juice or droplet of honey will call to an ant. To prevent ants, clean up food spills as soon as they happen.
- Deep clean your home regularly: When you deep clean your home, you eliminate food sources from nooks and crannies you didn’t know were there. You also can be on the lookout for ants. Vacuuming, mopping, wiping down cabinets and counters can help you prevent ants.
Are Ants Ruining Your Life? Call Peace Of Mind Pest Control.
The best form of ant control comes with professional assistance. At Peace of Mind Pest Control, we guarantee just that, peace of mind, by offering comprehensive pest management control.
