The Secret To Successful Ant Control In Western Massachusetts

There are many things in life that are annoying. Some of these things are easy to avoid. Others seem like they will never go away. For lots of people here in Western Massachusetts, ants are one of those annoying problems that seem like they will never go away. In fact, some of these pests have no intention of ever leaving your home once they get indoors. As long as they have what they need to survive and thrive, they will be happy. The question is, are you prepared to do what is necessary to stop these invaders before they drive you mad? Take a moment today to learn the secret of successful ant pest control in Western Massachusetts and find out everything you need to know about these insects. Contact our team at American Pest Solutions if you are looking for a way to combat these bugs ASAP. We offer professional options for ant control and have everything you need to identify, eliminate, and prevent these annoying little pests. 

How To Identify The Type Of Ants Infesting Your Home

Dozens of common ants live here in Western Massachusetts. Most look similar and are hard to tell apart. That said, there are subtle things you can use to identify what types of ants are causing trouble on your property or inside your home. These things include looking for where they are building their nests, observing their behaviors, and closely inspecting their anatomy. Keeping this in mind, here are a few common ants in our area and how to identify each inside or around your Western Massachusetts home.

Odorous house ants live up to their name. When crushed, these insects smell like rotten coconut. A person with a keen nose will be able to notice this little indicator when dealing with these pests indoors. Another way to identify these 1/16 to ⅛” long, brown or black ants is by the shape of their abdomen. Odorous house ants' abdomens are uneven and bent slightly to the side. 

Black carpenter ants are the largest species in our area. They often grow upwards of ½” long and have queens that are even bigger. These dark pests use their size and large mouth parts to chew their way into homes. Unlike termites that eat the wood they tunnel through, carpenter ants only chew into wood to build their nests. This activity can leave clear signs of infestation--if you know what to look for. 

Pavement ants are the most stereotypical ants on this list. They are black or dark brown in color, ⅛” long, and have no real discernible features that are visible to the naked eye. The one thing you can use to identify these pests is to look for their nests. You will find pavement ants' nests along the edges of your driveway, street, sidewalk, the foundation of your home, and other paved areas.

Pharaoh ants are one of the smaller species of ants in our area and only grow to be about 1/16” long. These pale yellow insects are easier to identify than most of their close relatives. They are also one of the more problematic species locally. We will talk more about the problems these ants cause in just a bit.

Most of the time identifying what types of ants in West Massachusetts are inside your home is difficult. To make your life easier, bring in our team at American Pest Solutions if you see these pests invading your home or property. We will pay you a visit and perform a thorough inspection to identify what species you are dealing with. 

The Problems An Ant Infestation Can Cause For Your Family

Ants are not the most worrisome pests here in Western Massachusetts. They are, however, the most common and possibly the most annoying. These insects love to invade homes and are adept at getting indoors. All they need is a tiny hole, gap, or crack and then they are in. Keeping this in mind, there are a few species locally that are more than just annoying. The two you should know about are carpenter ants and pharaoh ants. 

Carpenter ants cause problems when they chew their nests into the structural wood of homes and outbuildings. This nest-building can lead to serious structural damage, over time, if these pests are left to their own devices. The good news is that identifying a carpenter ant infestation is relatively easy. Look for tiny holes in your walls, frass (sawdust-like material), and large ants crawling around. If you would like to identify carpenter ants before they cause too much trouble indoors, you can hire our team for a yearly wood-destroying insect inspection. This is a great way to spot destructive creatures before they cause too much trouble inside your home.

Pharaoh ants are not destructive like carpenter ants. They cause their problems in a different way. Specifically, they spread harmful sickness vectors. These small yellow pests crawl through trash cans and other dirty areas to find food. They then can carry bacteria from these areas and spread them over countertops, kitchen tables, and left-out food. Two diseases you can contract from these pests are salmonellosis and staphylococcus. To avoid these sicknesses while pharaoh ants are around, clean your home regularly and seek a professional option to give these pests the boot.

Although not all ants are dangerous or destructive, all are a problem when they invade homes here in Western Massachusetts. If you are tired of finding these pests crawling through your living areas, we would like to help. Keep reading to learn more about DIY ant pest control and find out the most effective solution to these nasty little pests. 

Why Do-It-Yourself Ant Control Usually Fails

Ants are one of the most tricky pests to eliminate here in Western Massachusetts. This is for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is simply that these insects do not use much effort to invade homes. They are constantly on the lookout for gaps, holes, and cracks to find their way indoors. We would argue that all homes have openings large enough for these pests to crawl indoors. Even if you seal the majority of entry points, ants might still find ways to invade and cause trouble. Another reason ants are difficult to control is that they are resilient. If you attack a colony, it might split. This happens with ant species that have multiple queens. We have seen many situations where DIY has led to worse ant infestations. Finally, using chemical-based ant pest control solutions can be tricky and dangerous. Most of these products are harmful when ingested. If used improperly, you could put yourself, your family, and your pets at risk. For this reason, we highly recommend leaving professional-grade products to professionals. 

Although eliminating ants is something you should never try on your own, preventing these pests can be done with DIY means. It requires effort and attention to detail. If you are not currently dealing with these pests inside your home and you are looking for some ant prevention tips to keep them away, here are a few things to try.

• Seal as many gaps, holes, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation as possible.
• Address damage to windows and doors and make sure they are properly sealed.
• Thoroughly clean your living areas at least once a week and your yard once every two weeks.
• Make sure your trash cans all have tight-fitting lids.
• Store leftovers, pet food, and pantry items in sealable containers.
• Clean up food messes and drink spills as they happen around your home.
• Restrict the rooms you eat in to just your dining room and kitchen for easier cleaning. 
• Clean out your pet’s food and water bowls after they finish a meal.

Keeping up with ant prevention is challenging and not always effective. If you want a guaranteed method to deter these pests for good, you need professional ant control in Western Massachusetts. For services you can trust, turn to our team at American Pest Solutions. 

The Most Effective Ant Control For Your Home

Sometimes there are easy ways to deal with problems in life. The easiest way to combat ants here in Western Massachusetts involves hiring our team of professionals at American Pest Solutions. We are a local and dedicated provider that serves the community with a wide variety of home pest control options. Regardless of what species are causing you trouble, we have a solution for the problem at hand. All you need to do is let us pay you a visit. We will assess the pest pressures on your property, provide treatments to address current threats, and implement long-term strategies to keep future invaders at bay. All of our services are designed to find and meet your needs. 

Call American Pest Solutions today to learn more about our ant control solutions. One of our qualified service representatives will walk you through all of your options for service and find the best solution to your Western Massachusetts home’s pest problems.