Does Seeing One Ant In My House Mean I Have An Infestation?
Unfortunately, any ant sighting can indicate that you have an infestation. Ants will forage for food up to 30 feet away from their nest, but the closer they can find a food source, the happier they are. If you find them in your kitchen, especially, you may have a nest in your walls.
Often ants send out scouts to collect food and return it to a nearby nest. Spotting these scouts can mean a lot more ants are nearby. If you see a line of ants, it's a sure indication of an infestation, and you need to call for professional ant control in McAllen as soon as possible to get it under control before it has a chance to spread any further.
Can Ants In My Home Make Me Sick?
Depending on the species of ant you have in your home, yes, they can potentially make you very sick. The most common ants in McAllen homes are:
- Black ants
- Carpenter ants
- Crazy ants
- Fire ants
- Ghost ants
- Harvester ants
- Leafcutter ants
- Sugar ants
In addition to some of the painful stings some of these ants deliver and the property damage others cause, ants can spread dangerous health conditions, such as:
- E. coli
- Shigella
- Salmonellosis
- Staphylococcus
- Clostridium
- Streptococcus
Because of these various issues, you need to know how to get rid of ants in the house as quickly and efficiently as possible. Typically, for effective ant control, you need professional help, and BUGWORKS Termite & Pest Control is ready to come do battle against your ants. Let our experts protect your McAllen home and family from dangerous and destructive ants with our effective treatments.
What Will Happen If I Ignore An Ant Infestation?
If you ignore an ant infestation, you do so at your own peril. Take carpenter ants for instance. Carpenter ants present a double threat to your home and family. These ants will tunnel through your walls and put you at risk of structural damage that increases over time. However, unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat the wood they tunnel through and instead are likely to raid your kitchen and contaminate items in your pantry.
Crazy ants always live in large colonies, and they can cause damage to livestock, poultry, and agricultural crops, including your garden. At the same time, fire ants and harvester ants are aggressive species that can deliver painful stings that can cause potentially life-threatening allergic reactions.
As you can see, it's a bad idea to ignore an ant infestation in McAllen, either inside or outside of your home. Outdoor ant control is key, so when you see an ant hill, call in the pros from BUGWORKS Termite & Pest Control as soon as possible to get rid of ants before they make it inside your home.
What's The Best Way To Get Rid Of Ants In My House?
The easiest way to get rid of ants is never to have them in your house in the first place. There are a few things you can do to for ant control in your house, including:
- Keeping tight lids on outdoor trash cans.
- Cleaning up outside dining areas of fallen food or crumbs.
- Taking pet food bowls inside at dusk.
- Keeping a clean kitchen.
- Wiping up spills and crumbs promptly.
- Washing dishes regularly.
- Vacuuming often, especially in the kitchen and dining areas.
- Store food in airtight containers or in the refrigerator.
- Sealing cracks and crevices in your outside walls and foundation.
- Covering openings around utility entrances.
- Cutting shrubbery back away from the house by at least two feet.
- Fixing leaky pipes or sprinkler systems.
- Using dehumidifiers and air conditioning units in poorly ventilated areas of your home.
However, if you've already got ants in your home, all is not lost. Knowing how to get rid of ants is crucial – partnering with a professional pest control company like BUGWORKS Termite & Pest Control is key. We have over 18 years of experience serving the McAllen area and the Rio Grande Valley. Call today for a free inspection and to request more information about our residential and commercial pest control services in McAllen.