For many people, the kitchen is the heart of the home and there’s nothing worse than the thought of little bugs climbing across counters, pantries, and cooking surfaces.

Prevention

The first line of defense when it comes to ant control is prevention. Like most pests, ants are attracted to food and water sources. Proper sanitation practices in the kitchen are vital to preventing an infestation. Make sure to wipe up all crumbs and spills. Try to clean dirty dishes as soon as possible and not let them pile up in the sink. Keep stored food items in air-tight containers. Also, limit excess moisture by draining the sink, regularly running the garbage disposal, and fixing leaky pipes and faucets.

Identification

If ants are found marching through your kitchen, priority number one is identifying the type of ant. Trained professionals know how to look at an ant’s head, antenna, and body segments to properly identify the species. Different ant species have different habits and appetites, and an accurate identification will guide the treatment. For example, odorous house ants prefer sweets, Argentine and pavement ants enjoy proteins, carbs and oils, and Pharaoh ants will eat almost anything. Also, some ants, like the Pharaoh ant, will split their colony into two separate colonies if a threat is detected which can spread the infestation further throughout the house.

Treatment

Treatments will only be effective if a proper identification has been made and the correct products are used in the appropriate manner. Contact sprays that are offered at most hardware stores will only be effective on ants that are sprayed but killing a couple dozen of a colony of thousands is only a temporary fix. Baits tend to be the better choice for ant control because the treatment is taken back to the nest and spread throughout the colony providing full treatment. However, it’s important to remember that the bait will only be attractive if it’s made with the correct food type (sugar, protein, carbs, etc.) for the species of ant that is being targeted. Also, going back to a tip for prevention, baits will only be effective if there aren’t other competing food sources that the ants are already consuming.

The licensed technicians at Bill’s Home Service are trained in proper ant identification and treatment methods to solve your ant problem efficiently. If ants are marching through your kitchen, call the professionals at Bill’s Home Service today.