FOX 6
SPRINGFIELD, MA
APRIL 6TH 2015
Moisture can attract carpenter ants and termites into your home and now is the time to be one the lookout.
“They will come into any crack or crevice in the house, really hard to get rid of them because you don’t know where they’re coming from,” says Veronica Levy.
Before you get unwanted house guests, Bob Russell with American Pest Solutions explains, “the best thing homeowners can do at this point is to dry out any places that got wet this year.”
That’s because it’s the season for termites and ants.
“What you see after a winter like this is significant ice dams and water intrusion into wall voids. It creates great habitat for ants because they attack moisture infected wood above the ground,” Russell adds.
Termites tend to stay more on the ground level right now with the ground so wet, but ants can come in through the wet spots on your roof.
“Keep an eye out for insect activity, ants moving. Termites will swarm in the next week or two. You’ll see what look like flying ants and the wings will fall off,” Russell.
Akmad Esa told us she was shocked to see ants already sneaking into her house, but before talking to a professional, she has some tricks up her sleeve.
“We do have a problem with ants. What I did this morning was I put spearmint oil, that eliminate the process all together. I’m the person who likes to try it herself before spending money and doing what I could not have just done,” Esa explains.
However, sometimes do-it-yourself doesn’t work. In those cases, Russell suggests you get a sample, so a professional can get a positive identification for you and go through the proper steps.