Ants
Have an ant problem? We can help!
Yakima has several varieties of ants. Most common around the house are pavement ants and odorous ants.
Pavement ants are small and dark brown, and scurry in short bursts when they are traveling. Odorous ants are similar in size and color, but they tend to travel in straight lines. Like all ants, these little pests like heat and moisture.
They usually live outside your home or business when it is warm, but come inside when it is cool and damp, looking for a warm spot to make their nest! They tend to go for hot water pipes, under sinks and around electrical outlets.
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How can I tell I have an ant problem?
You will know if you have ants because you will see the actual ant itself. If you find them, most of the time it will be in the kitchen. You will see them on the countertops, and islands. You can also see the ants on the floor near the entry doors and in corners, cracks and crevices. Even if you see just one ant, that one – called a ‘scout’ - is one of many to come into an area. Their job is to go out and see what they can find in the way of food, and then go back to the colony and tell the rest of the ants about it.
Ants have an incredible sense of smell. They can smell the scents of where you have been walking. The smells are on the bottoms of your shoes from sidewalks, driveways, yards – anywhere you walk. The ants find the smells and think it might be good food, so they follow the scent trail to your house.
What steps can I take to keep my home or business ant-free?
There are different products like sprays and bombs that you can buy at just about any place that has a home and garden center. You will have some success with these products, but they have very limited control, and sometimes can make the situation worse.
You have to know where to put the products. Outside you will want to do a perimeter of 2’ – 3’ from your house. Be sure to get into your gravel, beauty bark and woodpiles.
Why pick Jerry's Pest Service for my ant problem?
Yakima has ten different species of ants. They are drawn to homes or buildings because of a variety of food products and are often searching for water. The ants eat different kinds of food – proteins, carbohydrates, salt, and grease.
The species of ant can also depend on where in the Yakima Valley you live. Even seasons changing can be a clue to the type of ant you have because sometimes their food choices change.
Knowing the locations, seasons and food sources helps me to identify the kind of ant we are dealing with, and that helps me to know how to treat them.
Identification is the key and from that point we can come up with a game plan on how to control the ants.
After more than twenty years treating pests in the Yakima valley I will be able to tell you what kind of ant you have by inspecting your home. Every house is different. By looking at your home I can figure out where the ants are coming from and then I know what kind of products to use, and where to apply them.
We can tailor our system to meet your individual needs and that will make a vast difference in the comfort of your home.
