Insects in the home are never a happy thing and ants, for example, should never be underestimated. Although they are very useful to our ecosystem, their presence inside our homes can quickly become a problem. It is enough to have a nest near your home for them to invade your home. How to get rid of them? When to call an exterminator? The following blog post will attempt to answer your questions about ants before you go out and buy all the insecticide you can find at the nearest hardware store.
The seriousness of the situation
First of all, you should know that the presence of ants is more of an inconvenience than a serious problem, except in the case of carpenter ants which can alter the integrity of a building. If you find only a few ants in your home, it is not a big deal. You can then buy an insecticide at the hardware store to try to eradicate the problem. Be careful to choose a product that is safe for children and pets. However, if the problem doesn’t seem to be solved after a few days, or if it gets worse, it’s probably an infestation. You will need to call in the professionals.
Carpenter ants
Carpenter ants are a bigger problem and it is a good idea to be able to identify them quickly. Each insect measures between 6 and 25 mm and is between yellow and reddish brown in color. This type of ants live in trees, but they can also be found under large pieces or in dead stumps. As this type of ant has a diet based on sugar proteins, they can feed on other insects, but also on food that you keep in your kitchen area. It is therefore strongly advised to put all food in airtight jars. Beware of the bag of sugar or flour left open.
The risks
The main problems with this type of ants are the degradation of the frames and nesting. This type of ant attacks the wood to make its way where it needs to go. Once inside the frame, it threatens the integrity of all the wood pieces such as the beams, for example. In addition, if the main nest exceeds 2000 individuals, the winged insects will migrate to establish satellite nests. This type of nest will serve as a sort of base camp for the supernumerary ants and will be the larder of the main nest. In this case, the situation becomes much more critical. If you observe a lot of movement at the same times of the day, it is very likely that the ants have established a colony nearby. If they have some kind of small pincers, they are carpenter ants, so don’t hesitate to call an exterminator.
If you are concerned about a possible ant infestation in your home, do not hesitate to contact a professional who will help you locate the nest and eradicate it permanently. When the situation is serious, there is no point in spending money on big box insecticide. Instead, leave the situation in expert hands for peace of mind and a bug-free home.
