With over 1,000 ant species in North America, they have become a common pest in Baltimore homes. As ants look for shelter and food, they enter office buildings, apartments, condominiums, and houses.
Unfortunately, killing ants as you see them is not effective in removing an infestation. Because ant colonies can have over 100,000 members, you may need a pest control company to lend you a hand. To avoid this altogether, take steps to prevent ants from entering your home in the first place.
What You Need to Know About Your Baltimore Ant Problem
Before treating your Baltimore ant problem, it is helpful to learn what type of ants you have.
Which Ants Do I Have in My House?
Despite over 1,000 ant species existing in the world, only a few make their way into homes in Baltimore. They include carpenter ants, odorous ants, and pavement ants.
Carpenter ants have black, brown, or reddish-brown bodies. You’ll find them in damp or decaying wood. Odorous ants are tiny black or brown ants that often have a striped body and an uneven thorax. Pavement ants are brown to black and live in or under pavement and patios.
Where Can I Find Ants?
Ants tend to show up in the same places, both inside and outside. If you have ants in your home, you will see them near your appliances and heating system. They also tend to move behind wood trim, especially if they are carpenter ants. You might also see ants behind your walls, on the floor, or in your crawl spaces.
Outside, you’ll find ant nests in the cracks between pavement pieces, in gardens, near fences, and around wood sources like piles, tree stumps, and fallen logs. They also move into soil and mulch.
What Attracts Ants to Your Baltimore Home & What to Do About It
Ants tend to move into buildings for several common reasons.
Food Sources
Because of their size, ants do not need large food sources. Crumbs are plenty for them. If your floors are clean, they may still come to eat your pet’s food or to feed on dead insects.
To keep ants out of your home, clean your spills and crumbs right away. Store your food in covered air-tight containers, and do not leave pet food out all day.
Grease
Ants enjoy grease as a food source. It can build up on areas around your stove and in cupboards where you store pots and pans.
You can prevent ants from moving in because of grease by cleaning after preparing meals. Keep your cupboards clean and remove grease from the walls and floor around your stove.
Rotting Wood
Carpenter ants enjoy moving into areas with rotting wood. If you have piles of old firewood or fallen trees around your home, they might eventually make their way into your home.
To prevent them from moving into your home, move firewood or other dead, rotting wood away from your home’s foundation. Do not stack wood near your home, shed, or garage, as it becomes a welcome invitation for carpenter ants to move in.
Trash Bins
The contents of your trash attract ants, but taking out your trash often may not suffice. Use a liner to keep the actual trash bin clean and wash out any drips or spills on the bin itself.
Water Sources
Ants need a water source, so any leaky pipes or standing water can invite ants inside your home. You can keep them away by fixing dripping pipes and faucets and removing standing water.
Weather Conditions
As the weather changes, ants look for warm and dry places to live. You might see them as seasons change. The best way to prevent them from moving in is to hire the experts at Phenom Pest Protection to provide seasonal pest control solutions.
Got an Ant Problem? We Can Help!
Ants are essential for ecosystems, but no one wants them in their home. Phenom Pest control can help you remove ants and prevent them from moving back in. Ants are persistent in their pursuit of food, water, and shelter, so you may need professionals to remove them.
Phenom Pest control offers dependable solutions to ant infestations in your Baltimore home. Call us today for a free quote!
