10 Ways to Stay Safe From Ant Infestation With Fire Ant Exterminator in Florida

If you have an ant infestation, you probably went online and searched for ant control near me or with your zip code and came across a couple of ant exterminator services. Florida is generally warm and humid, and this makes it a hotbed for ants. Infestations tend to worsen during summer when they gather food for rainy days.  

While there are thousands of ant species in the world, only a few are found in Florida. These are:

• Carpenter ants.  These are nocturnal ants that make their nests inside the wooden structures in your house. They love dead, damp wood and make their homes on fallen trees, stumps, water damaged or rotting wood which they keep chewing to establish satellite colonies.
• Ghost ants are tiny ants with dark heads and translucent legs. You will find them around potted plants, wall voids, baseboards, and cabinetry.
• Acrobat ants are known for their behavior of raising their abdomen above the head when disturbed. They eat honeydew, sugary waste, and insects.
• Pavement ants live on sidewalks and driveways. They eat greasy foods, insects, food crumbs, and seeds.
• Crazy ants are known for their erratic wanderings. They walk individually, unlike other species.
• White-footed ants are active during the rainy season and feed on honeydew and sugary liquids.
• Odorous house ants are known for the unique rotten coconut odor they emit when crushed. They do not rest and will keep foraging for food day and night.
• Argentine ants live anywhere in your home, though they prefer moist soils, the sidewalks, and under the building. They eat anything edible.
• Fire ants love warm temperatures and could eat small animals like chickens as well as vegetables.
• Pharaoh ants are the most resistant to pesticides and live almost anywhere in your compound.

While ants are generally harmless, some species can be dangerous. Carpenter ants can cause structural damage to your home, and the  Pharaoh ants trigger respiratory allergies and asthma. Search for local ant control professionals or exterminators near you to determine the specific species that bug your home.

The following guide will help you keep ants away all summer.

1. Store food in airtight containers

Food attracts ants to your home. Leaving foodstuff in the open will cause an infestation, especially during summer when ants are foraging for food to fill up their stores underground. Keep food in plastic bags or airtight containers to get rid of ants.  For leftover foods, always keep them in airtight containers in the fridge.

2. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the Sink

Always keep the sink clean and dry at all times because ants love water. Leftovers, grease, and any sugary stuff on your plates can attract ants. They will be all over the sink nibbling food and carrying away some for storage within no time. Ensure you clean all utensils immediately after meals to keep ants away. If, for some reason, you can’t wash your plates, fill the sink with soapy water and soak them inside. Ants do not love soap.

3. Clean up crumbs and spills quickly

Food, water, and sweet substances attract ants in huge numbers. If you spill any of these, vacuum immediately to keep ants from your house.  Clean off food crumbs around kitchen appliances, garbage pails, the dining area, and couch cushions to get rid of ants.

4. Keep your Kitchen Clean

The kitchen is the ant’s favorite spot as it provides them with food, water, and warmth.  In addition to keeping food tightly sealed, wipe counters, appliances, and floors regularly.  Vinegar solution is an effective DIY ant control solution. If you spill grease or sugar when cooking, mix 1 part water with 1 part white vinegar and wipe all the affected areas.

5. Seal off Entry Points into your Home

Ants get inside your home through cracks, holes, and damaged structures. Just a small opening on the windows, roof, foundation, or walls is enough to bring an entire colony into the house. Seal all windows with caulk or silicone sealant to keep ants out.  In addition, fix any damage on the foundation, roof, and walls. This will get rid of ants and other pests and bugs that could crawl into the house using these openings.

6. Move Wood Piles, Leaves, or other Debris Off of the Ground

Damp or rotten wood can attract destructive carpenter ants, which can cause structural damage to your house, just like termites. They harbor other pests, rodents, and intruders, including snakes, threatening your family’s safety. 

Clear leaves and remove woodpiles near your house. Check and cut hanging tree branches around your home, then clean the bushes to smoke out ants and cockroaches. If there are overgrown trees, make sure you trim them as well.  This way, you can avoid paying exterminators expensively for treatment services later.  If you need cleanup and routine inspection services, contact our experts.

7. Use Insecticide Around doorways and Windowsills

Ants use any cracks in the window and openings in the doorway to get inside your house. After sealing all cracks, crevices, and gaps, eliminate your need to use a suitable insecticide to prevent them from gaining access.  Spreading granular insecticide on the outer side is an effective ant control method. You can also use a pest control spray to kill any visible ants.

Since ants leave a trail of pheromones that they use to get back inside, clean them up with soapy water and set up bait traps. When worker ants eat poisonous bait and feed it to the queen, larva, and other ants inside their colony, you end up exterminating the entire colony.

Dusting powder repellents such as Diatomaceous slices around the trail also help eliminate ants without causing a mess in the house. To get the best insecticides in your city, contact a local exterminator who offers ant control services plus advice.

Visible hills could be an indication of a serious ant infestation. In this case, you need to hire a pest control service professional to help you with ant control.

8. Store Pet Food in Airtight Containers

Ants eat most types of food, including your pets’ food. Store food in an airtight container to protect your home from ants’ infestations.  Clean the pet bowl immediately after feeding your dog and remove any crumbs that could have fallen on the ground.  You can also brew coffee grounds and sprinkle them near the pet bowl or place citrus rinds around it to repel ants.

9. Use a Vacuum Cleaner at Least Once a Week

Vacuum cleaners can pick up those tiny crumbs on the floor and couch cushions that attract ants and remove ants that have invaded your house. You may also want to spray the house with essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, lime, lemon, and peppermint essential oils. These essential oils are effective pest control solutions while at the same time purifying your air.  The scent can also dilute the pheromone trail ants leave behind as they forage for food. Call our pest control for free inspection services to find out if you have an infestation inside your home.

10. Check Outside Plants for Signs of Insects

Carpenter ants, acrobat ants, argentine ants, pavement ants, and Pharaoh ants can invade your yard and pavement and make their way into your food storage areas. However, ants do not come alone. Cockroaches, bugs, and other insects in your home or yard might also join them.

The yellowing of leaves and patches on the lawn might indicate ant infestation, termites, or other pests. Call an exterminator immediately if you see these signs. Our ant control business in Florida can handle any pest control project and save your property from damage.

Hire A Professional Fire Ant Exterminator Service

While many ant exterminator services in Florida, not every exterminator can provide you with professional assistance. Skymark Pest has years of experience and can help you with any termite species at a reasonable price. We have the tools to get the job done and use industry-approved ant exterminator methods.  

Call us at 352-552-3290 to book an appointment or find out the best local solution to your ant problem today. Visit our website for offers on pest control services in your city.