What It Takes To Get Rid Of Ants In Your Roseville Home

Whether you find them crawling across your counters or trying to contaminate your food, ants in your Roseville home are never a good sign. Ants can be challenging to get rid of, which is why you'll need an effective form of ant control in Roseville. 

Here's what Roseville homeowners should know about the life cycle of common ants, the problems they may cause in your home, how you can prevent them, and when it's time to use pest control in Roseville.

 

odorous house ants drinking from a puddle

The Life Cycle Of Common Ants

Most ants, regardless of species, have the same basic life cycle:

  • Egg: Ants begin their lives as eggs, which usually hatch within one to two weeks. 
  • Larva: When the eggs hatch, larvae emerge. In this stage, ants become worm-like larvae without any legs or eyes. Adult ants in the colony help feed them, and the larvae will continue to molt until they're ready to pupate. The larval stage lasts around twelve days. 
  • Pupa: After they've molted multiple times, the larvae become pupae. Pupae tend to be much paler than adult ants and may even spin a cocoon for protection, depending on the species. The pupal stage is one of the longest stages of the life cycle, lasting up to a month. 
  • Adult: Ants become fully-formed adults once they've finished the pupal stage. They begin to forage for food and take on their role in the colony.

How long do ants live? While the lifespan of an ant can depend on the species, ants can live longer than you think. Pharaoh ants, for instance, can live up to a full year as long as they have access to food and water. 

Some ants in Roseville may only live a few months, but others can survive for years. For homeowners, that's a lot of time to deal with an ant infestation, especially as they continue reproducing. 

The Problems An Ant Infestation Can Create In Your Home

As small as they may be, ants can cause a significant amount problems in your Roseville home, such as: 

Food Contamination

Contamination often comes from species like odorous house ants or Argentine ants, but almost all ants can cause food contamination. 

Because of their attraction to food and water, ants will be looking to have dinner with you. As long as they have the opportunity to, ants will try to contaminate your food, and nobody wants an extra crunch in their dinner. Right?

Contamination could include food in your pantry, ingredients you're preparing, your current meal, and even the dirty dishes in your sink. Anything with food remnants can be a food source for ants. If they don't have easy access, ants will create it – even if it means nesting inside your pantry or cupboards. 

Food contamination also comes with the risk of bacteria or harmful pathogens, depending on the species. 

Property Damage

Not all ants are capable of property damage, but some species are. Carpenter ants, for instance, can cause property damage to your home or your yard if they're nesting nearby. 

Carpenter ants like cool, moist areas, and they like to nest in the wood. However, while they don't eat wood like termites, they will chew through it to create their nests. Carpenter ant damage is rarely as extensive as termite damage, but with enough time, they can still wrack up a few repairs. 

General Nuisance

Beyond the health concerns they cause, an ant infestation can be a general nuisance too. As the infestation grows, ants won't be shy about spending time out in the open. They may crawl over furniture, tables, counters, or even you! The constant presence of any pest can be stressful, but since ants are so hard to get rid of, they can cause even more anxiety. 

Bites Or Stings

While it's rare for most home-invading ants, like odorous house ants, to sting or bite, it can still happen. Ants aren't usually aggressive but may bite or sting out of self-defense. 

The one exception to this is fire ants. Fire ants create mounds outside, and if you enter their territory, they aren't afraid to sting. These stings can be painful and may feel similar to a wasp or bee sting. Since they like to sting in swarms, dealing with a large fire ant colony could even become dangerous without professional fire ant control. 

Bacteria 

Odorous house ants, pharaoh ants, and other species can sometimes spread bacteria. Interacting with ants doesn't guarantee you'll get sick, but if they contaminate your food, the risk is there, and this is another reason to make sure these pests steer clear of your dinner. 

Ants can spread harmful bacteria like streptococcus, salmonella, E. coli, and staphylococcus. Certain ants, like pharaoh ants, tend to carry bacteria more often than others. Pharaoh ants aren't as common in Roseville homes as they are in medical facilities or other buildings, but they can still infest residential areas. 

Five Eco-Friendly Ant Prevention Tips For Around The House

What attracts ants? Most of the time, ants that wander into your home don't do it by accident – they've usually been lured in by something and are coming to check it out. Like most pests, ants want the same two things: food and water. Ants may sometimes wander into your home out of convenience or because they need shelter, but food and water will always be the biggest draw for them. 

If you're leaving food out or have moisture issues, like leaky faucets and drains, you have a much bigger risk of dealing with ants. This is especially true for certain types of food, like sweets or meats. Most ants have a sweet tooth and a craving for protein; these foods will attract them more than anything else. 

It doesn't help that these critters need very little space to get inside. As tiny as they are, ants will use the smallest cracks and crevices in your walls and foundation to gain access to your home. Ripped and torn window and door screens can be another potential entry point. 

So, as sneaky as ants may be at gaining access to your home, there are steps you can take to prevent them – and you don't have to always rely on over-the-counter baits or traps. There are plenty of forms of green ant control that'll help you prevent future infestations, such as:

  1. Get rid of their access points: Use a sealant like caulk to get rid of tiny cracks and gaps around your house's foundation or wall voids. You can also use weatherstripping or door sweeps to eliminate tiny gaps underneath doorways.
  2. Don't leave food and trash sitting out: Since food scraps may lure ants in, it's essential to keep any food in airtight containers and stored in your fridge, cabinet, or freezer. 
  3. Check for moisture issues: Moisture issues can be another possible attraction, but you may not always know you've got a problem – which is why it's a good idea to check for leaky faucets, drains, and gutters regularly. 
  4. Wash dirty dishes and regularly clean home surfaces: Even dirty dishes or crumbs on countertops can draw ants in, so you don't want to leave these items sitting out overnight. 
  5. Make sure you leave a lid on your trash cans: Indoor and outdoor trash can lure ants into or near your home. Be sure to keep tight-fitting lids on any of your garbage cans, and also make sure you use high-quality trash bags without leaks or holes. 

While the above tips are helpful for home pest control for ants, they won't do much to fend off an existing infestation. If you already have ants in your home, you'll need to do more than limit their access to food. 

As crafty as they are, working with a professional pest control company is the best way to get rid of an existing ant infestation. 

Contact The Professionals About Total Ant Control For Your Home

The preventative measures above are a great way to help keep ants away, but they aren't always enough – especially if you know you already have ants. Whether you're dealing with odorous house ants, which is a nuisance pest, or a species more dangerous, like the carpenter ant, the most effective form of ant control is a professional one – like those of us at Neighborly Pest Management. 

With years of experience under our belts and a trustworthy reputation, we can make your Roseville home pest and ant-free. If you think you've got an ant problem, there's no reason to let the infestation get worse – contact us at Neighborly Pest Management today for more information about our residential and commercial ant control services.