Whether they’re the kind that forage for food or the kind that damage your property, ants are no fun to have around. These invasive pests are incredibly common for property owners to come across, and knowing how to spot the signs and act fast will help you keep your home or business ant-free.

Common Eureka Ant Species

Most ants are nuisance pests — not known to cause damage or spread diseases. However, all ants can cause bigger problems than the word “nuisance” implies, and some of them can be downright dangerous. Knowing how to tell common ants apart is the first step in knowing how to address the problem:

Pavement ants: These small, black ants are the same ones you’ve been seeing your whole life, from the days drawing with chalk on the sidewalk to your time now spent weeding the yard. Pavement ants are incredibly common and they will invade yards and structures in search of food.
Carpenter ants: Nearly indistinguishable from many other ant varieties, carpenter ants behave uniquely. They are the only ant known to bore into wood, not for food but to make elaborate egg chambers.
Pharaoh ants: These yellow or brown-colored ants are known for carrying dangerous diseases. They are attracted to sugary aromas or food traces.

Steps For Proper Ant Prevention

The best way to avoid the worst kind of ant problem is to take early steps to protect your property. No matter what kinds of ants might invade, these are all good steps to take:

Deep cleaning: Even slight traces of food or tiny crumbs left in out-of-sight corners of your property can end up attracting ants. Frequently clean these messes, especially under heavy appliances and other often-missed spots.
Food storage: All that work cleaning will be for naught if ants simply have easy access to food in the pantry. Weak packaging and easily-accessible cupboards and containers can provide ants with all the food they need.
Trash storage: Ants don’t just attack the areas where we store and prepare food, they will also forage in the areas we throw food out at. Securely bag and bin your trash, both indoors and outside.

Keeping Ants Out Of Your Property

Limiting the factors that attract them is only part of the battle when it comes to ant prevention. You also have to take make your property inaccessible to ants looking to escape cold temperatures or inclement weather. To do that, you have to frequently inspect and maintain your exterior for potential problem areas. Here are places to pay special attention to:

Walls & foundation: When checking your exterior, look for small holes or cracks that might allow ants access inside of the walls or floorboards. Fix these areas with caulk and make a habit of checking every couple of months.
Windows: If you don’t have screens installed on all your windows, you should consider it. Once installed, screens should be checked regularly for holes or tears.
Doors: The cracks around a door frame are another easy way in for crawling ants. Installing weather stripping and door sweeps is a good way to address these access points.

Protection From All Kinds Of Ants

With so many different kinds of ants out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all you need to know and stay on top of. Luckily, you’ve got a local resource for everything you need for proper ant control. At Accurate Termite & Pest Solutions, our trained staff can provide you with even more tips on how to make your property inaccessible to invasive ants. We can also get started right away on an inspection of your property, determining what problem areas you may have and taking steps to fortify against pests. If a problem is found, you can rely on us to get rid of it quickly and make sure it doesn’t come right back.

Don’t wait to get started on proper ant control, contact Accurate Termite & Pest Solutions today.