Ants are one of the most annoying and unwanted pests that can invade your Washington D.C. home. While some can be a nuisance, others, such as the carpenter ant, can cause significant damage to your home. Ants are social creatures that work and live together in large groups, so if you see one ant, you may likely be dealing with an even more significant infestation. If you think you could be dealing with an ant colony, leave it up to the Washington D.C. pest control professionals.
Types Of Ants That Invade Homes In Washington, D.C.
A variety of ants can damage and infest your home; each type can be harmful or destructive in its own way. The species of ants that can invade your Washington, D.C. home include:
Acrobat Ants
Argentine ants
Bigheaded Ants
Carpenter Ants
Citronella Ants
Field Ants
Little Black Ants
Odorous House Ants
Pavement Ants
Pharaoh Ants
Pyramid Ants
Red Imported Fire Ants
Small Honey Ants
Thief Ants
With such a wide variety of possibilities on the type of ant in your home, it can be challenging to effectively treat the ant infestation without knowing the behaviors of each kind. It can also become challenging if you aren't aware of the potential dangers or issues they could be causing in your home.
Why You Don't Want Ants Crawling Around Your Home
While the ants in Washington, D.C. aren't quite as scary as other places worldwide, they can still present danger to you and your loved ones. Ants crawl up counters on the ground and thrive in wet environments, making them carriers of disease-causing organisms and bacteria.
Odorous house ants can cause a rotten coconut smell throughout your home. While they are not known to spread disease, bite, or sting, they cause significant odors in your home. They can easily contaminate food sources and are difficult to eliminate on your own. Carpenter ants are the most dangerous type of ants that invade your home because they are wood-destroying pests. They can leave tremendous amounts of destruction if left untreated.
Ants bite by using their mouth and mandibles to pinch the skin if they feel threatened and can cause discomfort and pain, but they are typically not dangerous. However, the skin can become irritated or even infected if it is not adequately cared for. Some ants can sting, causing pain from the injected venom, leading to pain, redness, swelling, and itchiness. An ant sting can also lead to severe issues that are uncomfortable. Some of these symptoms include:
Nausea.
Diarrhea.
Stomach Cramps.
Dizziness.
Chest Pain
Difficulty breathing.
The last issue concerning ants in your home is that ants are a viable source of food for other pests, which could cause more pests to enter and remain in your home.
How And Why Ants Find Their Way Into Your Home
Ants will scavenge a far distance to find food, water, and shelter. While they'll eat a wide range of food, they love sugary substances. Ants leave a scent trail that helps them find their way back to the nest and guides other ants to follow the path to their food source location. If you see a single ant, more ants will likely follow shortly after. Due to their size, they can squeeze into any gap leading to your home in search of shelter or food. Apart from leaving the back door open, they can also get in through grapes under the doors, poorly sealed windows and slight cracks in the foundation. While keeping ants out of your Washington, D.C. home is complicated, keeping up with general maintenance, such as sealing window frames, cracks, and crevices in doors, will at least reduce some of the entry points. However, eliminating what attracts them first is the best approach to ant control.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Ants
If you are dealing with an active ant infestation, don't waste your time and money attempting to deal with it alone. Leave the treatment plan to the experienced professionals at Miche Pest Control. We are a top-rated, family-owned, operated, full-service pest control company providing exterminating services for ants in Washington, D.C. Our expert technicians get rid of ants fast and use preventative methods to help keep ants from coming back after they've been eliminated.