Ant control can be tricky and if done wrong can make things much worse. Typically “spraying” for ants will lead to poor results. Best results come from a true pest professional that can identify the species of ants and deploy the right control methods for each individual situation.
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.
Our professionals understand ant biology and can eliminate ants fast.
Contact UsCorrect identification is an important first step when dealing with ant infestations. Every type of ant is unique and has their particular way of surviving.
Ants are one of the most common pests in Utah. Most are harmless and stay outside, but there are a few species that can be found indoors. The most common pest ant species in Utah are: pavement ants, odorous house ants, carpenter ants, and argentine ants.
Identifying what type of ant we are dealing with starts with a thorough inspection searching indoors and outdoors. When inspecting, Thorn professionals ask important questions like:
Answering these questions will lead to treatment solutions for long term control of the ants. Read below for more information on why these questions are important.
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.
We protect your business reputation and image. Our ant control also keeps employees and guests comfortable and isn’t just a band-aid approach so you save money.
1. Inspect the property for trailing ants, possible food sources, colony location, conducive conditions and entry points.
2. Identify the ant species.
3. Assess the situation and create a treatment strategy dependent on the property and ant species. (This is almost never walking around with a canister sprayer and spraying the baseboards. That tends to make things worse and doesn’t give good long term control.)
4. Perform the work
5. Ask you to clean up any identified food sources
6. Follow-up to make sure we are getting the desired results
Ant inspection is the most important step in getting good results. During the inspection we identify:
Ant species
Trailing ants
Location of the colony
Conducive conditions
Entry points
Food sources
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.
Client Testimonials
Thorn prides itself on being among the best commercial pest control providers in Utah.
Nate did an amazing job! He went above and beyond and we are so impressed with the quality of Thorn professionals!
Cyrus did an awesome job at my house. He was really thorough and answered all my questions!
Bayron is amazing, thorough and very kind! We love him!
Garrett has been phenomenal and excellent! I am really happy with the diligence he has expressed while taking care of the cockroaches!
Mitchell was wonderful and very thorough! You guys are great. You are doing such a service for us. I really, really appreciate it!
I want to give kudos to Mitchell. He is so genuinely kind and thorough. We sure appreciate him! He was very professional and in the bigger picture he was very kind when he was asked to do specific things.
I was very impressed with Paul. He did an amazing job, and I wouldn’t have any qualms about having him back any time!
Ryan was really great to work with. He was really kind and patient. I always have questions and he answered them all for me. He was really polite and professional.
Bayron was polite and respectful and did a thorough job!
Paul is a very, very nice man. When we have questions, he explains everything to us very well. I really appreciate that!
Don’t let ants disrupt your home or business. Fill out the form below to get in touch with us today.
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.
Many ants for many days.
If you see one or two ants on a rare occasion, it may not warrant treatments. These are most likely foraging ants from outside just scouting for food. If this becomes a regular occurrence or you find ants in large numbers you may want to call a professional.
Ants can be difficult to eliminate and do it yourself treatments generally don’t work. With ants, you can also make things worse and harder to eliminate if you don’t treat correctly. Most “sprays” on the market are the wrong product to use on ants even though they have ants on the label.
Discarded wings.
Discarded wings are from reproductive ants called an alate. These ants can be difficult tp control as they are coming out to mate and not to feed. It also means that you often have a colony in, under, or near your home. Cracks where the ants are coming in should be sealed and bait treatments should be made to eliminate the colony. –
Pushed up dirt or sand.
This generally means a colony is present.
Ants keep “coming back”.
Most likely they were not eliminated to begin with. Many treatments like “spraying” may only suppress ants. Colony elimination is the best strategy for long term success.
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.
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.
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.
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.
