Ants And How To Prevent Them

Posted on September 24, 2019

When you’re having a picnic, you expect a few ants to show up as uninvited guests, but if they make a home on your property that is something different altogether.

Did you know there are 93 different types of ants in Alberta? The most common are the pavement ant, pharaoh ant, and carpenter ant.

You can recognize pavement ants by the little craters they make in between the cracks on the sidewalk. They also set up colonies in your lawn or garden.

While they loosen up the soil and eat a few things around the yard, a large colony takes over an area and can limit your use of it. Stepping in the mounds can send the swarms scurrying over feet and sometimes they will bite. There are hardware store ant sprays, but because the underground colony is wide-ranging, it may not kill them all. A professional pest control company will have the tools to contain the ants and will follow up afterward to make sure the treatment eliminates the problem.

Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are two-toned red and black and make those little convoy lines straight to the food source. They like warm places and forage the house for food. If they get into your home or business through cracks or sills, they are challenging to get rid of.

They are fast, prolific breeders, so home remedies often won’t be able to get rid of your ant problem. A pest control company, however, will be able to find the nest and help you get your home or business ant-free again.

Carpenter Ants

We used to think carpenter ants were only in B.C., where there is lots of wet weather and decaying wood for them to set up shop. However, they have now infiltrated Alberta. Carpenter ants are a larger size, black, with a triangular head. They like rotting wood and will enter homes through any deteriorating wood. Once established in a wall or pillar, over time, they will cause a lot of damage. It is best to get them treated professionally by an exterminator as soon as you see them. A pest control company will have the right remedy to permeate those areas and allow you to fix the damage.

Prevent A Problem Before It Starts

One of the best ways to prevent an ant problem is to stop it before it starts. One way to do that is by hiring a pest control company that will come into your home to provide an evaluation. They will be able to point out problem areas and will tell you what to do to keep those industrious ants and other pests away.

At Martin’s Pest Control, we offer such solutions to the Calgary area. We offer annual preventive packages so that you can rest easy and you can enjoy your home and garden.