Why Ants Are in Your Schenectady House and How to Keep Them Out
In Schenectady,
ants can remain active inside homes throughout the year, including the winter months. Usually, they make their nests outside, but when they come inside while foraging for food they discover a good, constant source of food. Once they have made that discovery, they continue to return again and again to bring food back to their colonies. They may also build indoor satellite colonies to make foraging easier. The two most common ants that invade homes in Schenectady are
pavement ants and carpenter ants. These ants are challenging to prevent and even more difficult to get rid of once they have invaded.
The ants that manage to get inside your home can usually be found somewhere around food or moisture sources. They can also be hidden away in wall voids, under floors, around appliances, and inside cracks behind window and door frames.
Carpenter ants, in particular, will eat protein sources like other insects. They are also drawn to a sweet liquid that some other insects produce. They do not limit their diet to just those items, though. They will feed on pet food, meat, honey, and sugar. Contrary to popular belief, they do not eat wood like termites. They do, however, excavate through the wood, and can cause severe damage to homes and items within homes.
How to Prevent Ants
Here are some steps that you can take now to limit ants as much as possible once the weather warms up again in the spring:
- Make sure you know what type of ant you are dealing with by using our pest identification guide. Different species require different prevention methods. The best way to do this is by enlisting the help of a pest management specialist.
- Get rid of moisture in and around your home. Make sure your gutters are in good repair and fix any leaky faucets and pipes right away.
- Seal off holes, cracks, and crevices around your home that serve as entry points for ants. Remember that spaces around utility conduits should also be sealed.
- Keep your home, floors, cabinets, and food preparation surfaces clean.
- Take out the trash on a regular basis and keep your trash area free from food debris and spills.
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How to Get Rid of Ants
If you start seeing ants around your home or you think they are becoming a problem, contact a professional pest control company right away. That way you can avoid serious damage from carpenter ants and the nuisance other ants can cause.
In Schenectady, you can trust the experts at Thomas Pest Services for all of your ant problems. We will effectively get rid of your ants for you. In addition, you can sign up for our Complete Care Plan that will give you year-round control of ants and other pests that commonly plague
Schenectady homes. Call us today for more information about our residential pest control solutions.