Do you regularly have trouble with ants crawling through your Mobile home? Are you staring at some of them right now? If so, you are probably thinking, “How can I get them out fast?” We are here to help you with this. Here are some things you should know about area ants along with one guaranteed solution to get them out of your home ASAP.
What Ants Live In Mobile?
Mobile, Alabama is no stranger to ant infestations. To help you know whether the ants inside your home are just there for food or to cause some other problems, here is how to identify some of the common species in our area.
- Argentine Ants: An Argentine ant is light to dark brown, shiny, and is 1/16 to ¼” long. These area insects regularly get into homes and are considered to be strictly nuisance pests. They pose no health risk to people or pets.
- Pharaoh Ants: A Pharaoh ant is pale yellow, 1/16” long, and has a darker-colored abdomen. Of the ants in our area, this pest poses the most risk to human health with the diseases it can spread. Two disease vectors Pharaoh ants carry around homes are salmonellosis and staphylococcus.
- Odorous House Ants: An odorous house ant is brown to black, 1/16 to ?” long, and has an uneven-shaped abdomen. The biggest problem this pest causes (besides stealing food) comes with the rotting coconut-like smell it emits when crushed.
- Pavement Ants: A pavement ant is dark brown to black in color, ?” long, and has no distinguishable features. Like Pharaoh ants, pavement ants can spread sickness vectors but do so to a lesser degree. Beyond this, they are not considered to be a big problem.
- Crazy Ants: A crazy ant is dark brown to black, has a gray sheen, and is 1/16 to ?” long. This pest poses little to no risk to humans or property but does look funny when running away from danger because of its erratic movements.
Why Ants Invade Homes
Ants invade homes to scavenge for things they need, such as food and water, and to find shelter when exterior conditions are unfavorable. If your home is dirty, if trash cans are in accessible locations, if boxes of food are left open, and if your exterior walls have openings, cracks, and gaps, then ants will be more likely to get inside and cause trouble.
How To Prevent Ants
If your home currently has an ant problem, skip this section. If you are looking for a way to deter ants from getting inside in the future, here are some practical prevention tips our experts recommend you use.
- Identify and fill in holes, openings, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation and gaps around window/door frames.
- Repair damage to window/door screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps.
- Reduce clutter and eliminate debris around your yard.
- Make sure your trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
- Clean beneath large appliances and furniture.
- Address food messes and drink spills as they occur around your home.
- Fix leaky piping and make sure your home’s gutters are in good working order.
How To Get Rid Of Ants
If you are currently staring at ants or know they are somewhere nearby causing trouble, hire an expert. At EnSec, we offer fast-working and long-term solutions to ant problems and other pests that plague area homes. All you have to do is give us a call. We will schedule an appointment for your property, identify pest pressures causing you trouble, and put in place a plan of action to get you freedom from ants as fast as possible.