The Secret To Keeping Ants Out Of Your Phoenix Home

How well do you work when part of a group? Is it easy for you to take criticism and adjust plans on the go, or would you prefer to solve problems on your own, so you know the task gets done right? We cannot speak for you, but we can speak for ants. These small social insects rarely try to solve problems on their own. Working together with their colony, ants accomplish amazing feats, lifting objects thousands of times their size and finding openings in the exterior of homes and leading their friends inside to cause trouble. If you hate the idea of ants crawling around inside your Phoenix home, here is a secret to keeping these pests out.

Common Ants Around Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona, is home to several different species of ants. Most are unique and serve their own purposes when around properties. Here are a few common ant species you should know.

• Red imported fire ants rarely come inside but are a massive pain to individuals who roam near their nests. Unlike most other ant species in our area, fire ants possess both a stinger and a powerful jaw to bite with. You will find these pests around dry and sunny areas of your yard.
• Carpenter ants are not as destructive as termites, but they are still a severe problem around homes they infest. These larger, red, black, or red and black ants tunnel their way into the wood of homes. The biggest difference between carpenter ants and termites is that carpenter ants do not eat wood but instead eat the same types of foods humans do. 
• Pharaoh ants are one of the few species of ants around the world that spread sickness. Crawling through trash, these pests pick up a wide range of disease-causing organisms, which they then spread around homes. Some of the most common diseases these pests transmit include salmonellosis and staphylococcus.
• Pavement ants live exactly where you would expect them to, beneath and around the pavement. These small black ants will invade through expansion joints, cracks, heating ducts, weep holes, and other openings in a home’s exterior. Once inside, pavement ants will do what most ants do and scavenge for food and water.

How To Start Preventing Ants

 
It doesn’t’ matter what types of ants are trying to get into your home; all should not be welcome. To prevent a wide range of annoying, dangerous, and destructive ant species around your Phoenix home, use these effective tips:

• Keep your grass and landscaping well maintained and address dry spots as they pop up. 
• Trim back bushes and tree branches around your home’s exterior so that sunlight can shine on its foundation.
• Eliminate sources of water building around your property.
• Remove clutter and debris from around your yard.
• Repair or replace water damaged, rotting, or decaying structural wood around your home and outbuildings.
• Make sure your gutters, drains, and out spouts are clear and working as they should.
• Address leaky piping, fixtures, and access humidity inside your home.
• Use a caulking gun or some liquid cement to fill in gaps and cracks in the exterior of your home.
• Fix broken or improperly installed window or door screens, door sweeps, and weatherstripping.
• Wipe out your cupboards, wash beneath large appliances and furniture, and do your best to keep your home as clean as possible.

For additional help preventing or eliminating ants, get the experts at Green Home Pest Control involved. Your home deserves the best, and when it comes to handling annoying, dangerous, and destructive ants, no-one does a better job than we do. Let us find a pest control option that best fits you and your home’s individual needs. Call or reach out to us at Green Homes Pest Control through our website for more information or to schedule a service visit for your Phoenix home and property.