“The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah,” is a refrain everyone is familiar with, but does anyone actually cheer when the ants are marching? You certainly won’t be singing if they’re marching across your kitchen counter searching for missed crumbs to feast on. In San Antonio, this is an especially big problem because we play host to several different species of ants, including red imported fire ants, carpenter ants, acrobat ants, pharaoh ants, crazy ants, odorous house ants, rover ants, and leaf cutting ants. To make things even worse, each type of ant has different behaviors and characteristics, often requiring different pest control treatment methods.
So, what is the average person supposed to do when those first brave ants start scouting out your home?
First, it’s a good idea to know what type of ant you’re dealing with. Check out this Texas A&M article about how to identify your new ant friends. The chemicals homeowners typically use to control fire ants are useless for getting rid of crazy ants (and they shouldn’t be used on crazy aunts, either!). If you weren’t able to identify your ants—a task most people find very difficult—you might find that you’re wasting time and money using the wrong product for the wrong species. You’ll want to be especially careful about selecting the correct products if you have pets or young children in the home.
You’ve probably heard of some different non-chemical treatments for ants, like club soda, cinnamon, coffee grounds, oak ash, aspartame, molasses, Epsom salts, orange juice, and cayenne pepper. Homeowners sometimes find success with these methods when used for smaller amounts of certain types of ants. Such natural methods are inexpensive and environmentally responsible, but tend to have mixed results. If you’re dealing with a real infestation, you’re better off opting for a pest control professional.
Ants multiply and establish colonies quickly, so acting fast is essential. Before your ant problem becomes anymore entrenched, consider giving our pest control experts at ABC Home & Commercial Services in San Antonio a call, or visit our website for a free estimate. We have a variety of ways of eradicating each and every type of ant, as well as the information you need to prevent pests from taking up residence in your home in the future.