What Causes Ant Infestations In Chicago Homes?
Ants decide to invade area homes for a variety of reasons. Most often they are hungry and come inside to scout out food and moisture. If your home’s exterior has accessible entry points like cracks, gaps, and other openings, scout ants will find their way indoors. If these scouts find anything tasty, they will leave a pheromone trail back to their colony for other workers to follow. This is how you get those long lines of ants working together to break down a muffin on your countertop.
Another reason ants invade homes here in Chicago is to stay warm. During the colder months of the year, many species in our area look to wall voids, basements, and other secluded areas to bring their nests indoors. If it is snowing outside, and you are still finding ants indoors, assume they are living somewhere inside your walls.
Carpenter ants invade homes to build their nests inside structural wood. If you are wondering how to identify carpenter ants, look at their size. Most ants in our area are 1/16 to ¼” long. Carpenter ants are ⅝” long and have red, black, or red and black bodies. You can also identify these pests by the damage they cause to homes, and the frass (shaved wood and fecal droppings) they push out of their entrance and exit holes through wood.
Should I Worry If I Have Ants In My House In Chicago?
Ants are one of the few types of pests that can annoying, dangerous, and destructive. Fortunately, most species in our area only cause one or two of these three problems. Three of the most problematic ants in our area are carpenter ants, Pharaoh ants, and odorous house ants. Carpenter ants are annoying and can severely damage homes, Pharaoh ants are annoying and can spread disease, and odorous house ants are annoying and smell bad when you squish them.
How To Prevent Ants With DIY
There are many ant control solutions available to you. One of the most affordable options is DIY. If you have some time on your hands, here is how to get rid of ants naturally.
- Use a caulking gun to fill in gaps, holes, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation.
- Make sure your window/door screens are not ripped or torn.
- Fix damage to weatherstripping and door sweeps.
- Keep your living areas as clean as you can.
- Eliminate sources of moisture build-up in and around your home.
- Use a dehumidifier indoors.
- Store leftover food inside plastic, glass, or metal containers.
- Invest in pest-proof trash cans.
The Best Way To Protect Your Chicago Home From Ants
If you are looking for the best pest control for ants here in Chicago, look no further than Aerex Pest Control. We offer detailed ant pest control options to help them identify, eliminate, and prevent annoying, dangerous, and destructive ants in our area. Our pest control ant treatment plan is designed to fully address your problem, leaving none of these pests alive to reinfest your home or yard.
Call us today to find out why we have the best pest control for ants and schedule your Chicago home for a visit.