Finding ants inside your home or in large quantities outside in the yard can be unsettling at best, and alarming at worst. While most people do not consider ants to be terrifying or dangerous, living alongside them comes with its own set of risks. Learn about ant infestations, how to prevent them, and how to get rid of ants and other pests for good with a high-quality ant exterminator like Thorn.
Ants are one of the most common pests found in Utah. Most ants are harmless and stay outside, but some can find their way indoors. Here are some ways that ants find their way into your home.
Keep bushed shrubs or trees trimmed away from the house they are not touching the structure. Plants touching the home create an easy “bridge” for ants to get inside.
Ants forage for food indoors and outdoors. Keep ants out by cleaning up all food spills. This includes pet food; ants love pet food. So make sure your garage and porch area are free from spilled food as well.
Ants are very small and can squeeze through any cracks and crevices. Sealing up these entrances on the outside of your home can go a long way in keeping ants out. Make sure caulking around windows and utility pipes is still in good shape.
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Schedule Free ConsultationDifferent species of ants behave in their own unique ways, and understanding ant behavior can help to effectively expel them from your home. A few common types of ants that can make their way into households include:
The team at Thorn thoroughly understands the differences and patterns relating to each ant type. This allows for efficient extermination because identifying the type of ant can reveal important details such as how many queens there are, where these ants prefer to nest and the best ant killer to use. Working with an expert ant exterminator in Utah is the next step to ensure your treatment approach is the best strategy for the particular type of ant you are up against.
Here are a couple of tips for getting rid of ants on your own. If these steps don't work, be sure to contact Thorn in Utah!
While ants may be less stressful to encounter in your home than mice or black widows, there are still risks associated with having ants inside your home. Ants bring risks of bites and stings, property damage and attracting other pests.
Contrary to popular belief, all ants are capable of biting. Ant bites do not generally cause serious harm. However, fire ants have stingers that can insert venom into their victims. Fire ant stings are extremely uncomfortable and require proper care and cleaning to prevent infection. These stings can pose a serious threat to individuals who are allergic.
Carpenter ants can cause lasting and expensive property damage. These ants tunnel through the wood inside of walls, door frames, porches and more, causing harm to any wood structures in your home.
Finally, the presence of ants can lead to the presence of other pests. Other pests, such as spiders, feed on ants and may be more likely to enter and stay in your home if they have a steady food source of ants.
While there is no foolproof method for keeping ants out of your home, there are a few best practices that can help deter them. Removing all possible food sources is the best way to ensure that ants don’t find a new home in your kitchen. This means wiping down counters and vacuuming up crumbs often. Keeping dirty dishes out of the sink and removing the trash from the kitchen can also help. Utilize tightly locking food storage containers so that ants cannot get into your open food items.
Even the cleanest of homes can experience ant infestations. There is no shame in needing help to rid your home of ants. Acting quickly can help prevent ant communities from establishing themselves in your home.
Expert ant exterminators at Thorn utilize a thorough process for ridding your home of ants. From initial inspection and species identification to creating a customized treatment strategy, these specialists understand every household is different and all infestations will require a unique treatment plan. Through attentive diagnostics, targeted strategies such as baiting, and regularly scheduled follow-ups, Utah ant exterminators at Thorn can rid your home of ants once and for all.
Get your stress-free lifestyle back and rest easy when you work with Thorn. Schedule an appointment today!
If you are a business or homeowner needing ant pest control in Utah, the professionals at Thorn Pest Solutions are here to provide a lasting solution to your pest control needs. Learn more about our process for treating ant infestations and call to make an appointment today!
Ant inspection is the most important step in getting good results. During the inspection we identify:
Treating an ant colony directly always gets the best results, but when a colony cannot be found or accessed, baiting can be a great option. The ants can then carry the bait back to the colony and share with the other workers and queen through a process called trophallaxis. Spraying the baseboards for ants almost never gets good results.
Queen ants are fertile, egg producing females. Does the colony have one queen or multiple queens? In some species of ants, the new queens will remain in the nest and contribute to the growth of the parent colony.
Ants establish colonies in a variety of ways. For some ants the new queen, a group of workers and brood, split off from the colony and migrate to a new site. The most typical way is for winged (alate) ants mate and start a new colony elsewhere.
Ants have preferred nesting spots based on the species. Some typical spots for common ants found in Utah can include: moist areas like a leaking pipe, wood, rangeland, lawns, stone, cardboard, bark, wall voids, sidewalks, driveways, foundations, and pastures etc.
An ant’s diet varies based on the needs of the colony and what foods are available. Ant larvae require a high about of protein when developing. Some common preferred foods of ants include: honeydew from aphids, sweets, proteins, insects, oils, and seeds.
A good pest control program uses multiple control methods. The most common solution for controlling pests native to Utah involves applying liquid pesticides as a barrier at likely pest entry points. The experts at Thorn also use many other tools to control pests including baits, dusts, exclusion, sanitation, habitat modification, vacuuming, web removal, and trapping.
Contact us today for a consultation with one of our pest control experts. We can recommend the best pest control strategy for you after we inspect your property.
When an ant infestation presents, it’s best to consult with the ant control specialists at Thorn. We can advise on methods including spraying and baiting, and prevent a large colony of ants from returning.
Yes, pest control can eliminate ants from inside your home or business. In addition to getting rid of foraging ants, the pest control experts at Thorn can also make recommendations for baiting to mediate colonies through a process called trophallaxis.
It’s not uncommon to see ants outside your home or indoors during certain seasons or seasonal transitions, but our team is always happy to help if you see an unusual or unmanageable change in the number of pests.
You might consider calling Thorn if there’s a significant change in where you are seeing ants indoors or out, a reoccurring colony that seems difficult to rid completely, or if you need recommendations for exclusion. Our ant control specialist can help mitigate the problem before it gets bigger.
When you hire a highly-trained Thorn specialist, they’ll be able to:
Thorn ant control inspections and treatments start at $188. Ongoing pest control programs start at $32 per month. Contact us for an estimate today.
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Pests can be difficult to control, but that’s what we are here for. We create a strategic plan to gain control of your problem and make sure we get results.
We take a scientific approach to pest control. We start with an inspection and assessment to help us identify the pest, locate where they are, and create a specific plan for your property. Every home and business is different and requires a unique strategy.