Signs of Ant Infestation That You Need to Be Aware Of
It is estimated that there are around 1.5 million ants on earth for every single human. That’s a lot of ants, and while ants can look cute from a distance (maybe it’s just those ant marching songs we learned as kids), they can be a real nuisance in your home. There are thousands of ant species around the world, and the majority aren’t going to cause much trouble. This being said, some ants can be a major problem. The following will explore some of the signs of ant infestation you might want to know about so you can keep your eyes open.
Seeing Lots of Ants
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way first. If your home is full of ants, you might have an infestation problem. Pay special attention in the kitchen area as most ants are drawn to sweet or sugary foods. You’ll probably be able to see them wandering all in a straight line. This is because most ant species have scouts that lay down a trail of pheromones for their friends to follow and find more food with.
If you find ant pathways in the kitchen, be sure to carefully go through your cupboards if this is the case, and you might find that a box of cookies or a jar of granola is crawling with ants. Even sugar ants aren’t dangerous per se; they can carry bacteria, meaning you should throw out any food that is covered in them.
Ant Nests
On your patio, walkway, and driveway, you might be able to see small piles of dirt or soil that take roughly the shape of a teeny volcano. Seeing this indicates that ants might have built a colony close to your home. It’s possible that they’ll just stay outside and be no problem for you, excluding that one week every summer when your brother’s kids come and leave their sticky popsicle sticks all over the yard. However, ant nests in tandem with finding ants inside can indicate an infestation. It’s worth noting that a single colony can have up to 500,000 ants within it and worker ants live up to seven years long.
Ant Infestation : Wood Shavings or Sawdust
While most ants are harmless, this cannot be said of the dreaded carpenter ant. Carpenter ants are tiny, but together they can cause a fair few mighty problems. In fact, carpenter ants can literally destroy your home from the inside out.
To make matters worse, they also bite. Despite their name, carpenter ants don’t eat the wood of your home, but they chew and excrete it to make tunnels for their thousands of relatives. If you’ve noticed little piles of dust that seem like sawdust or wood shavings, this might mean that you have carpenter ants. Figuring out how to get rid of carpenter ants isn’t too tricky, but it’s crucial that you act fast. These little guys can do a lot of damage in a short period of time.
The above signs should indicate whether you have an ant problem. If you’re unsure of your situation or what you need to do about it, reach out to a local pest infestation professional in your area. There are several options available should you need to get rid of ants in your home.
