While finding a few rogue ants in your home is undoubtedly less worrisome than having cockroaches or termites, ants can still pose a problem to homeowners. In addition to attracting other pests—ants are prey to spiders and cockroaches, among other pests—ants can contaminate food sources and make people sick.
In ant infestations, it’s common to see a few ants in your home, or maybe an ant trail. While this may seem like a minor inconvenience at best, it’s possibly indicative of thousands of ants hiding out in your home. In large infestations, there can be upwards of 100,000 ants. To stop ants in their tracks, you’ll need the help of Tampa pest control services.
Read on to learn about the species of ants that commonly invade Tampa homes and how different ants can create additional problems around your home. We also offer three eco-friendly prevention tips for your home and point you in the direction of the best ant control method for your property.
The Species Of Ants That Commonly Invade Tampa Homes
There are more than 700 species in the United States, but several ant species invade homes the most in Tampa. Nine of the most common ants are:
- Argentine ants
- Carpenter ants
- Crazy ants
- Red imported fire ants
- Ghost ants
- Odorous house ants
- Pavement ants
- Pharaoh ants
- Thief ants
How Different Ants Can Create Different Problems Around Your Home
All nine of the ant species listed above bring negative consequences to homes due to their presence. These ants can contaminate food, including spreading bacteria that cause salmonella, staph, E. coli, and strep. Ants can also spread other types of bacteria present in your home.
Carpenter ants cause extensive damage to homes as they create tunnels inside of wood, causing it to weaken significantly. Red imported fire ants damage crops and plants, and they illicit painful stings, which is particularly concerning for young children and pets.
Eco-Friendly Ant Prevention Tips For Your Home
Ants are a major pest problem in Tampa and elsewhere in Florida State. The only effective way to manage ant populations in your home and on your property is by obtaining scheduled, year-round pest control services. However, homeowners can consider a few eco-friendly solutions to keep these pests from returning. Here are three of them:
Pay Attention To Scout Ants: The ants you see wandering around your house are scout ants, scouting for food and water to bring back to the colony or alerting the others about. If you have scout ants, there’s a good chance there’s more hidden nearby.
Correctly Store Food: Sugar draws ants, including rotting fruit, candy, cake, jelly, and soda; however, they also eat meat, fats, and pet food. Keep food stored appropriately—fresh food in the refrigerator and pantry items in airtight containers to avoid welcoming these pests inside with a grand meal.
Deter Ants Using Herbs: Sprinkling paprika, turmeric powder, or salt around entry points, the places where ants are entering your home, will naturally deter them.
The Best Method Of Ant Control For Your Property
Because ant populations can escalate quickly, bringing in professionals will achieve the most effective ant control.
Haskell Termite & Pest Control is a local pest control business, and we’ve been serving home and business owners in Tampa since 1992. We are CTE-certified, and together our staff has more than 100 years of combined experience in the pest control industry.
If you suspect that you have ants or other pests in your Tampa home or on your property.