Did you know that the total weight of all ants on the planet is about the same as the total weight of all humans?
This “fun fact” can get a lot less fun, of course, if it’s starting to feel like all of those ants are living within your home! We like to think of ants as minor nuisances who can, at worst, invade a picnic without an invitation. However, it’s safe to say that these tiny insects can be terrifying in large numbers, and those large numbers can make it hard to get them out of your house for good.
If you’re wondering whether it’s time to call for pest control, there are a few key signs you’ll want to keep an eye out for.
1. You’re Seeing Live Ants Around Your Home
It’s not uncommon to see a stray ant in your home every now and again. These insects can find their way in through tiny holes within your walls or around your entryways, or you might carry one in by accident on your clothes.
However, if you’ve started noticing more live ants than usual around your home—especially within your kitchen or any areas where you keep food—you’ll want to take note. Larger numbers of ants can signal that these insects have constructed a nearby home they can come and go from, which can become a major problem if you let them stick around long enough to expand their nest!
Worse, even the act of killing a line of ants may not be enough to keep them at bay. Because these creatures find their way around using pheromone trails, the surviving ants may be able to follow their invisible tracks with ease.
2. You’ve Noticed More Anthills Near Your Home
Even if you haven’t seen many of these creeping critters within your home, it’s always a bad sign when anthills start cropping up closer to your property. Anthills that are next to your exterior walls are even more troubling.
These small anthills might seem insignificant, but when they start popping up within easy crawling distance of your house, it can be a sign that the ants are finding an abundant food source nearby. Ants can travel long distances to find food, and getting from outside your home to your kitchen isn’t too much of a hike for them.
Worse, having these critters so close to your home can put you and your household at risk of accidentally disturbing their nest—which can be a painful mistake if you’re dealing with fire ants! Even small dirt piles can contain hundreds or thousands of ants, depending on the species.
3. You’ve Found Ants in Your Food Stores
One of the most obvious signs of an ant infestation is ants crawling into your food. If you’ve noticed ants on exposed or uneaten food, or if they’ve chewed their way into the boxes of your pantry, it’s a huge red flag. Worker ants will spread the word of this major food find throughout their colony, bringing hordes of ants into your home to recover the spoils.
To prevent this from happening, it’s always a good idea to practice a few food safety habits, like clearing away any uneaten leftovers and putting the foods in your pantry in safe containers. However, if it’s too late to get rid of your existing ants with these simple tactics, it might be time to call pest control!
In addition, don’t forget that your pet’s food isn’t safe either. If you have a dog or cat, keep an eye out for ants trailing into their indoor or outdoor food bowl: these insects aren’t picky about what they eat.
4. There Are Wood Shavings Around Your Home
This subtle sign will only rear its ugly head if your ant problem involves carpenter ants. Also called flying ants, these insects look a lot like termites—with a few small differences. Look for wood shavings or dust next to any areas of your home with wooden walls or furniture.
It’s worth noting that there is some good news here. Where termites consume the wood they’re chewing through, causing extensive structural damage if left unchecked, carpenter ants will only chew through enough of the wood to clear space for a burrow. This means that they’re less likely to do significant long-term damage to your home.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should let these uninvited guests stick around! If you’ve seen any wood dust on your floors as you sweep your home, get in touch with a pest control company that can help you get rid of ants.
One other sign of a carpenter ant infestation is rustling sounds in a wooden wall. As they build their nests, these ants can make slight noises. Knocking on the wood and hearing a hollow sound may also indicate that there’s a nest within.
Let the Pest Control Experts Tackle Your Ant Problem
There’s plenty you can do in advance to prevent ants from entering your home, as well as simple home remedies to get these insects to leave. However, if you don’t do the job right—meaning finding the colony and killing the queen—you could be struggling with worker ants forever!
If you’re feeling like you’re in over your head, it’s time to contact a pest control expert to help. With over 50 years of experience providing superior pest control services throughout South Carolina, our team will be more than happy to help you kick your unwanted guests out for good. Don’t hesitate to contact us today with questions, concerns, or for a free estimate!
Do you have a pest problem?
If so, Cayce Exterminating is the best exterminator in Columbia SC! We offer home pest control and commercial pest control in Columbia SC, Cayce SC & Lexington SC. Family owned and operated for over 50 years.
You can trust that our family of highly trained professionals will provide fast service with 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Our technicians are licensed by the state of South Carolina to ensure your safety as well as ours. And we’ll always treat you like family – because that’s what you deserve!
Call us today at 803-796-2847 or visit our website to schedule an appointment online! Pest control columbia sc is something that pest exterminators can take care of, but it should be noted that pest extermination isn’t the only pest removal tactic available. In fact, pest extermination should always go hand-in-hand with pest prevention as a pest infestation can quickly become a major problem for your home.
Cayce Exterminating Company, Inc.
2229 Taylor Road
Cayce, SC 29033
803-796-2847
https://caycebugs.com/
Exterminator Columbia SC
