Few insects hold as positive an image in our minds as ants. They are hardworking, strong, dedicated, and willing to sacrifice themselves for their colony and do whatever it takes to protect their queen and the young.
Unfortunately, the same qualities we admire in these insects make ants formidable invaders if they choose to set up camp on our property.
Ants can contaminate food, short-circuit your electrical supply, weaken the structural supports in your home, and give you a painful sting if they feel threatened.
In Florida, ant infestations are on the rise and are a very common reason people contact pest control professionals.
Let's take a look at the types of ants you're likely to run into in your home, a few essential ant prevention tips, how to get rid of ants if prevention fails, and where to find top-notch pest control in Pensacola to show ants the door.
The Types Of Ants You Can Find In Pensacola
With a presence on every continent except ice-covered Antarctica, and over 12,000 species strong, ants are one of the most numerous types of insects on our planet. In the Pensacola area, you're like to encounter these species of ants:
- Carpenter ants
- Acrobat ants
- Argentine ants
- Ghost Ants
- Citronella ants
- Harvester ants
- Odorous house ants
- Pavement ants
- Pharaoh ants
While the appearance and habits of ants vary wildly between species, all ants share specific similar characteristics. All ants have six legs, with three joints each, antennae with elbows, a pronounced separation between the abdomen and thorax, and a body that consists of three sections; abdomen, thorax, and head.
Ants In The Home Can Create Many Problems
While in most cases, ants in your home or on your property are more of a nuisance than a threat, they can be a serious problem if left untreated. Carpenter ants can literally destroy the wooden parts of the structure by tunneling out spaces for their nests. Acrobat ants can start electrical fires thanks to their appetite for electrical wiring insulation. Most ants will contaminate the food and surfaces in your home, and pharaoh ants can spread diseases like salmonellosis, staphylococcus, and clostridium.
All ants will bite if threatened, the bites are likely to cause an allergic reaction in people predisposed to it, and stings from various varieties of fire ants can be excruciatingly painful.
How To Get Rid Of Ants For Good
The trick to keeping ants out of your Pensacola house, similar to most other invasive pests, is to make it unappealing to them and make getting in as hard as possible.
The following tips will help prevent ants at your Pensacola property:
- Seal plumbing leaks and make sure basements and crawl spaces are well-vented.
- Clean up cleans and spills immediately.
- Seal cracks in the outside walls.
- Dispose of trash regularly.
- Store food in well-sealed containers.
- Don't store firewood next to your house.
Every spring and early summer, ant colonies send out thousands of swarmers (flying ants that can reproduce), intending to establish new colonies. Keeping this onslaught from overwhelming your home's defenses is not an easy task. However, it is made a lot easier by involving a professional.
How Can I Permanently Get Rid Of The Ants In My House?
Since ants in Pensacola probe the perimeter defenses of your property continuously, year after year, the only reliable way to keep them at bay is a yearly inspection by a qualified ant control professional combined with the above prevention tactics listed above.
At EnSec Pest & Lawn, we have over 100 years of combined experience providing effective ant control in the Pensacola area. We are family owned and operated and specialize in greener pest control methods to keep your home pest free without endangering your family's health.
If you're fighting an ant infestation in your Pensacola home or property, get in touch with us for a free inspection and estimate and get started on our effective pest control services in Pensacola.