3 Signs of an Ant Problem Requiring Professional Help

Ants are amazing, intelligent creatures that can carry several times there body weight on their backs. They form intricate nests for their colonies and they can easily communicate with each other. However, they can also be a troublesome pests if they have infested your home. There are three common signs of an infestation. These signs are:

Ants in Your Home
Wood Debris
Ant Noises

Once ants have invaded your home, they can be difficult to get rid of, especially if you don’t know what type of ants you have. Identifying them is a good way to figure out how to get rid of them and a professional pest control technician has the knowledge and experience in eradicating ant problems.

Ants in Your Home

If you can see ants or a trail of ants in your house, you have an ant infestation that needs to be addressed. Foraging ants will scout out food sources for their colony and report back to them if they find anything. If a colony has settled in your house, they will have multiple food sources. Sugar ants like to seek out sugary foods, syrups, and honey, but they like savory foods as well.

This foraging behavior can be used against ants by baiting them and waiting for them to emerge to go after the food. When they come out, they can be traced back to their nest and the colony can be destroyed by an experienced pest control technician.

Wood Debris

It can be easy to spot the signs of carpenter ants in your home if you know what the signs are of their existence. While they don’t eat it, these ants will bore through wood when they are creating their tunnels and galleries for their colony. Wood shavings and debris, called “frass,” are the telltale signs that you have an ant problem. Sawdust piles are often found need the site of the ants’ nest, helping the pest control technician locate it and eradicate the ants.

If you look closely, you can tell if your having problems with ants or termites when you spot frass. Carpenter ants will bore against the wood grain, while termites go with the grain of the wood when they chew through it. The tunnels of ants are clean as well, whereas the tunnels created by termites are muddy.

Ant Noises

You have to listen closely, but if you suspect an ant colony has made a home in your house, you can hear rustling noises in the walls and ceiling of your home. The rustling noises will get louder if the colony has been disturbed. If the ants create audible sounds, this is an indication that you have a large, mature colony that you will need help of professionals to eradicate.

You can discourage ants from taking up residence in your home by controlling their food sources by keeping your kitchen clean and your garbage outside, but once you have an ant infestation, it can be difficult to get rid of without professional help.