Ants are one of those types of pests that Tampa homeowners have to battle all year. They are the most active during the hot and humid summer months. However, If temperatures drop outside or rain is abundant, the ants will move their colony in your home to take shelter from the harsh conditions outdoors.
If ants come into your home, it is not easy to get rid of all of them. At EcoTech Pest Control Services, we are one of the most well-known ant exterminators in Tampa. Our company has been providing various types of pest control in this area, and we specialize in developing customized ant control solutions for our customers.
Ant Behavior: Social Hierarchy And Communication
Ants are social creatures. Most ants in Tampa will spend their entire lives in the colonies they were born into. And one ant colony can contain over a million ants. To keep these large nests functioning efficiently, every adult ant has a job to do and will belong to one of three groups:
- Queen: The queen ant is the only female reproductive ant in the nests. Most ant species only have one queen ant, but some species have several queens living together in one colony. The queen's only job is to lay eggs. On average, a queen ant can lay around 900 eggs each day.
- Reproductives: The other reproductive ants are all male. They usually mate with the queen shortly after reaching full maturity. Many reproductive ants will die soon after mating with the queen.
- Workers: The other female ants in the colony are the worker ants. These ants pretty much do all of the work inside and outside of the colony. It is the job of the worker ants to build and expand the nest, take care of the queen and young ants, and find a reliable food source.
When the worker ants scout for food, they release pheromones that the other ants can detect. The ants use these pheromones to communicate with one another and to let each other know where to find food. When you see a trail of ants walking through your home, you are witnessing the worker ants following a pheromone trail. When you notice this trail, you should thoroughly clean the area and contact an experienced ant exterminator near you.
Ant Problems: Health Concerns And Property Damage
These insects might be tiny, but that doesn't make them any less destructive or dangerous. Because ants gather by the thousands, it doesn't take long for them to chew through your electrical wires or insulation behind your walls. Also, they are silent animals that don't make any buzzing, chirping, or other sounds, meaning they can stay undetected for an extended period.
Having your property destroyed is not the only reason you should have an effective ant control plan for your home. These little insects are also able to spread a variety of harmful pathogens. If they get close to your food, they could contaminate it and cause you to contract dangerous illnesses, like salmonellosis, streptococcus, and E. coli infections.
Ant Prevention Is Key: Effective Tips And Tricks
If you have an ant infestation, it will be difficult for anyone other than a professional ant removal expert to get rid of them. If you want to stop them from coming into your home, you can try these ant prevention tips:
- Keep your home tidy and free of food debris.
- Don't let your trash cans become heaping full.
- Fix any moisture issues around your home immediately.
Having your home treated regularly by an experienced local ant control expert is also a great way to keep ants away from your property for good.
Professional Ant Control: A Great Way To Keep Ants Out For Good
EcoTech Pest Control Services specialize in home pest control in Tampa that can help with ants. Give us a call today to see how we can make your home ant-free for good.