Do you have an ant problem? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons ants are hard to eliminate and why do-it-yourself (DIY) ant removal in Bartlesville, OK doesn’t always work:
- They thrive in numbers: The main reason why ants are so difficult to defeat is that they live in huge colonies made up of hundreds of thousands of individual ants. Let’s say you find a colony’s nest and destroy it. You may have killed most of the ants that were in the nest at the time, but you will have missed the ones that were out foraging during the raid. The survivors will go on to start another colony, so it should come as no surprise that it’s hard to kill them all.
- Nests are in hard-to-reach places: Ant colonies will build their homes in hard-to-access places, like cracks in walls, crevices in cabinets, far underground and underneath paved surfaces. Because of this, total elimination is difficult.
- They move quickly: When ants are disturbed, they immediately pick up and relocate to a safer area. So, even though you killed a lot of the colony, chances are you’ll soon discover the survivors have just built a new home in another location.
- Ineffectiveness of consumer pesticides: Home sprays are not strong enough. They may kill hundreds of ants, but not all of them, and ants can develop immunity over time.
How to get rid of ants
There are three main types of DIY ant baits that could work: protein-based bait, grease- or fat-based bait and sweet or carbohydrate-based bait. The best type of bait to use will depend on what time of year it is. For example, ants seek out mostly protein during the spring months, and carbohydrates during the late summer months. Unfortunately, finding out which bait works for your particular type of ant problem can be time-consuming and expensive.
The good news is that it’s not impossible to get rid of an ant problem. You stand a better chance of banishing them when you practice regular pest control maintenance and utilize a professional ant control service.
You should hire a professional to perform a full property inspection to determine the severity of your ant problem. Is it just a small group of ants, or a potentially damaging infestation? Here’s what a pest control plan for ants might include:
- Locating and taking out ant nests using a couple methods, such as applying different pesticides to different areas.
- Since all types of ants are attracted to certain areas by food, you’ll want to identify any sources of food and remove them. Removing the source deprives the ants of food, which either kills them or sends them on their way.
- Ants are repelled by calcium carbonate, so consider drawing a barrier with products containing the chemical, such as chalk. You can also try talcum powder.
- Keep your eyes out for ants, but schedule regular inspections to ensure there are no new infestations. The pros can also treat problem areas around your property using appropriate pest control methods.
Call Excellence Pest Control today for professional ant removal in Bartlesville, OK!