If you find ants in your St. Louis home, your first thought might be how to get rid of these pests. While it's important to know how to eliminate ants, it's equally essential to understand why they're on your property, to begin with. Find out more about why you have these insects in your home.

Knowing The Local Ants

If you want to understand why you have ants in your home, you first need to know a little about the local ant species. Carpenter ants are one of the worst offenders. To build nests, they tunnel through damaged and wet wood. If you want to identify these ants, look for their large size and black or red color. Contrary to popular belief, these ants don't eat wood. They merely tunnel through it and then find food in your home.

Another common type of ant is the pavement ant. Usually found in sidewalks and driveways, this ant sometimes makes its way into homes. It could contaminate your food sources when it raids your pantry. As one of the smaller ants in St. Louis, the pavement ant doesn't look intimidating. Nevertheless, you don't want it inside your home.

As far as identification goes, the odorous house ant is one of the most obvious ants in the area. When you crush this small ant, it releases a foul odor. While they're content to be outside, these ants sometimes come indoors in search of food and moisture.

There are several other types of ants in the area, but they all are similar in their ability to come indoors and take over. Once ants get inside, they don't hesitate to reproduce. What starts as a few ants could easily turn into an infestation. Because of this fact, ant prevention and elimination are crucial.

Why Are Ants In Your Home?

If you have ants in your St. Louis home, they're there for a reason. All of the following tend to be reasons ants end up in homes:

• It's Easy To Get Inside: If you make it easy for ants to get inside your home, they won't hesitate to invade. Cracks and gaps all make excellent entrances for ants. Due to their small size, local ants can find their way indoors through the tiniest of openings.
• There's Plenty Of Food: Can you turn down a free and delicious meal? Probably not, and neither can ants. If you have crumbs or open food in your home, ants will be nearby.
• You Have A Moisture Issue: All ants need water to survive, so a moisture issue makes your home particularly appealing. Whether you have water-damaged wood or high humidity, you could be attracting ants.
• You Don't Take Measures To Prevent Them: On your own, there are a few things you can do to keep ants from invading. For instance, you can be more cautious with your food storage. Rather than leaving open packages of food out, store them in ziplock bags or containers. Your garbage could also be attracting ants. If you don't have a lid on your trash can, ants will find their way to a buffet. Even if you do have lids on your cans, avoid overfilling them. Sweep the floor near your can to remove any crumbs that might seem irresistible to an ant.

For the best form of ant prevention or elimination, rely on a professional. Here at Arenz Pest Management Solutions, we can take measures to keep ants away. Our professionals work hard to protect your home. We only use the most effective methods of ant control to keep these invasive pests away. To learn more, give us a call now. 

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