It’s amazing how fast ants can show up and become a major problem in and around homes. It seems like one day ants are practically nonexistent, and the next, hundreds of their little hills are scattered across your yard, and lines of workers are carrying scraps of food out of your home. This can be frustrating, to say the least. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to stop ants before they ever become a problem. That being said, here at eight quick and effective ant control tips you can use around your South Carolina property.
Common Local Ants
Ants may all look similar, but they have different behaviors from species to species. Today, we're going to discuss some of the most common ants found in South Carolina.
Argentine Ants
The best way to identify Argentine ants is by the size of their colony. Just one colony of Argentine ants contains hundreds of thousands of members. These ants become the most problematic when the weather outside becomes too wet, dry, or harsh for their liking. These conditions drive Argentine ants to seek shelter indoors in mass numbers.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are known for being the largest and most destructive species of ant here in South Carolina. You can identify this species of ant mostly by their size. Their red and black bodies also distinguish them from other species. As their name would suggest, carpenter ants use wood to build their nests. This behavior can be especially damaging to homes made primarily of wood.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants love nesting inside cracks and crevices found outdoors and along pavement and driveways. As nests grow, it is not uncommon for pavement and stone to become damaged. To identify these pests, look for dark brown to black ants around their nesting areas.
Red Imported Fire Ants
Out of all the ants here in South Carolina, fire ants are by far the most painful. The good news is that they rarely enter into homes and prefer to be out in yards where it is hot and dry. If you see hills in dry patches of your yard with reddish ants crawling around them, do your best to avoid walking nearby as bites and stings from fire ants can be uncomfortable, to say the least.
Ant Prevention Tips
There are many different things you can do around your home to keep ants out. Here are eight tips recommended by our experts to help keep ants off of your South Carolina property.
- Purchase a caulking gun and use it to seal up holes, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation as well as gaps around window and door frames.
- Check weather stripping around your home and make sure it is all in good order.
- Make sure all of your window and door screens are rip and tear-free.
- Install door sweeps under all of your exterior doors if you have not already.
- Address moisture problems around your home by repairing leaky piping, fixing broken gutters, and using a dehumidifier as necessary.
- Clean your home thoroughly at least once a week, and do your best to pick up messes as they happen.
- Store leftover food in airtight containers; refrigerate when possible.
- Invest in recurring, professional pest control services for your home and property.
The easiest way to keep ants out of your home and off your property is with some help from The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc. Our team has the experience and equipment needed to quickly and effectively remove and keep ants off your property.
Give us a call today to schedule an appointment for your South Carolina home.
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