We have a surprising variety of ants in this area. When they come into your yard, you may start to notice them making lots of tiny mounds. You may see them crawling in your driveway or getting on your trash receptacles. You may see them on your back deck. They can be very annoying. But they're even more annoying when they get inside.
Today, we're going to take a look at how you can identify a few important pest ant species, the problems they cause, how to keep ants away from your home, and how to get ant control in Durham.
How To Identify Ants In Durham
It would take several pages of very boring information to tell you about all the pest ants in our area, or how to identify ants of every species. But there are really only three problematic ant types. There are ants that can make you sick to your stomach, ants that can make you seriously ill, and ants that can damage your property.
Odorous House Ants
These ants range in size from 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch in length. They may be dark brown or black. When they get inside your home, they can move from dirty trash to stored foods and food-prep surfaces. While only a mild threat, it is best to keep these ants out.
Fire Ants
Fire ants range in size from 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch in length. They are usually reddish-orange with a darker-colored abdomen. Bites from fire ants (which are actually stings) are irritating. For individuals with a fire ant allergy, they can present a serious danger and, in rare cases, may cause a condition called anaphylaxis.
Carpenter Ants
These ants range in size from 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch in length. If you have black carpenter ants, they're going to be entirely black. This carpenter ant species is very destructive as they tunnel inside wood. So it is important to know how to identify carpenter ants in your yard.
The Problems Ants Can Cause In Your Durham House
It is annoying to have ants crawling around in your yard, but things can turn from bad to worse when they turn from an outdoor ant control problem to an indoor ant pest problem. It is one thing to have fire ants in your yard. It's another thing entirely to have them inside your home. They can present a serious threat to babies, children, the elderly, and the infirm.
When you see carpenter ants inside, this is also a reason for concern. It means that these ants are probably living inside the wood of your home. Over time, this can lead to extensive damage. It is best to not let outdoor ant control problems get out of hand.
How To Keep Ants Away From Your Durham House Naturally
Ants are just looking for food and moisture - even carpenter ants. If you deprive them of these, you can naturally deter them:
- Protect your trash and keep trash receptacles free of strong odors, particularly if you find ants crawling on them.
- Don't stack nuts near your home. If you have nut-producing trees, dispose of the nuts away from your exterior.
- Don't create a habitat for insects. Ants eat insects both alive and dead. Reduce exterior light, address plant decay, and keep things as dry as possible.
- Get your gutters cleaned. This is key for effective ant control.
- Remove food and moisture sources inside as well, such as cleaning up crumbs and fixing leaking faucets.
Once you've addressed attractants, you'll need to do one more thing. You need to seal every little gap, crack, and hole in your exterior. Here are a few tips for doing this:
- Replace old weatherstripping.
- Create a seal around door and window frames.
- Repair damaged screens.
- Fill in rotted wood holes.
- Fill in gaps around plumbing.
How To Completely Get Rid Of Ants On Your Durham Property
It is impossible to entirely get rid of ants on your property, but you can definitely take a big bite out of the population and reduce their numbers below your threshold of comfort. We're often called in to provide lawn ant control in Durham because ants are so annoying when they take over the yard, but lawn ant control is more than this. It can prevent fire ants from presenting a threat in the yard.
It also addresses ants before they get into your landscaping, or into your home. Can you do it yourself? You can certainly try. But it is easy to do it wrong and actually make your ant problems worse or to continue to have the same problems. The best choice for lawn ant control in Durham is to let The Eco Man Pest Solutions handle this complete task.
If you'd like to learn more about ant control in Durham, reach out to us. Our technicians know how to identify carpenter ants and the warning signs they provide, and we also offer effective ant control solutions to address this and other ant problems. We can help you find the answers you're looking for.
Customer Reviews
The fire ants were all in my yard. Shuvar & Eco Man came and did a great job, and explained to me the process. Thank you so much... All gone
