Pest of the Month: Ants

Ants are one of the the most common and well known pests to enter the home. When not properly attended to, ants can quickly move into our homes, causing fast destruction for those inside. There are many different species of ants all across the world. Some are simply an annoyance while others can be deadly. Either way, learn the best tactics for ridding your home of these pests, as well as learn more about ants themselves. The sooner you can identify the infestation, the easier it will be to rid your home.

Facts About Ants

• Ants are worldwide. While they aren’t present on every single corner of the world, they’re getting pretty close. There are very few places on the earth that hasn’t seen an ant population including the Arctic, Antarctica, and just a few islands. These ant species adapt easily, making their takeover fast.

• There are billions more ants alive on earth right now than there are humans. Right now the current number of humans on earth reaches about seven billion, that’s nine zeros. The current population of ants on the earth reaches around ten quadrillion, that’s fifteen zeros!

• Ants have a hive mind. What this means is they work together in a group, leading to infested areas to be full of thousands if not millions of ants.

• For millions of years ants have survived through a number of different tactics. One way ants will make their way into homes is by sending a scout to look for food. Other ants will follow the trail laid out, leading to a full on infestation.

Preventing Ants

Now that you understand how resilient ants can be, do all you can to prevent them from entering your home in the first place:

• Look for any weaknesses in the walls of your home. If your home structure is made from wood, look for holes in this. In addition to here, check the caulking around your windows and doors to ensure there are no breaks in the defense.

• Talc is deterrent for ants, and can be spread along the windows or doors you suspect ants are entering from. In addition to this, other spells that deter ants include peppermint oil, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. These substances can be put here as well to keep ants out.

• Trim the vegetation directly surrounding the home as this creates easy access points for ants.

While ants have continued to infest our homes and strengthen, you can up the protection of your home. Do all you can to keep ants out, preventing an infestation before it has the chance to take root.