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Ant Management
Knowing what type of ant species is in your home may be the most
important key in determining where the nesting site is, the type of
food they eat, and the best method of ant treatment. There are many
species of ants found in and around Des Moines Iowa’s homes. Our Downs
Pest Control certified technician will find the correct type of species
and correct form of treatment.
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Types of Ants
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter Ants can grow to be up to 12mm or about 1/2” in length. They
are black or dark reddish brown. Carpenter Ants hollow out wood to make
their nest. This can cause serious structural damage and costly repair
if not taken care of immediately. They eat sweets, meat, and grease.
Carpenter ants usually target soft wood. If you are seeing carpenter
ants inside of your home it may be sign of a water leak. Carpenter ants
are most often accidental invaders.
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Carpenter ants usually accidently
find their way into your home because carpenter ants are scavengers and
constantly searching for food and water. If ants are found in your home
during the cold months this may be a sign that the ants have built
their home in your home. Carpenter ants also can be a sign of termites.
Often carpenter ants will battle the termites for their tunnels they
ate inside of wood. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat the
wood, so carpenter ants do not need the wood as a source of food, only
shelter. Wood that has tunnels in it is an easy shelter for the
carpenter ants. In this situation Carpenter Ants can search for food
instead of digging out tunnels.
Crazy Ants
Crazy Ants are often found inside small crevices inside homes and
structures. Crazy ants seem to run about aimlessly. Crazy ants have
long legs and antennas and are dark brown. Since crazy ants can forage
over long distances and seem to have no path of getting food, finding
their nests can be difficult.
Odorous House Ant
The odorous house ant can either be brown or black. Odorous house ants
live anywhere outside the house, usually under rocks or beneath boards.
They tend to invade the home while it is rainy when their primary food,
honeydew, is washed away. They get the name “odorous” from the foul
odor it gives off when crushed.
Pavement Ants
Pavement Ants are usually found outside near sidewalks, pavement,
adjacent to house foundations, and sometimes inside the walls of homes.
Pavement ants are brown to black with paler legs; they grow to be about
4mm or 1/8”.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are found inside walls. Pharaoh ants live behind
baseboards or any small voids they can find. Pharaoh ants tend to have
very large colonies which may split up into multiple colonies and grow
some more. Pharaoh ants are a light yellow to red tint and are about
2mm or 1/16”.
How to Keep Ants Out of Your
Home
Trying to discourage ants from invading your home can be frustrating.
One thing to remember is that many ants are attracted to sweet things.
Ants usually enter your home from their outside nest as they search for
food to support a growing colony. Steps you can take to keep ants out
are:
• Clean all kitchen surfaces
• Vacuum daily
• Rinse all dishes out immediately
• Fill wall cracks with caulk
• Keep windows and screens updated
If you see ants during the winter season, that is a common sign
pointing to a nest inside your house.
Our certified Downs Pest Control technician will inspect the area,
identify the species, and decide what the best treatment is to
eliminate the pests from your home. Often an integrated approach will
include mechanical, cultural, and chemical methods. Our ant treatments
are effective and inexpensive and guaranteed to work. We have
eliminated ants from residents and businesses in and around Des Moines,
Iowa. Stop trying different over the counter products and in home
methods, we can eliminate the pests from your home once and for all.
Downs Pest Control serves the Des Moines area. Call today for a free
estimate over the phone!
Downs Pest Control Central
Iowa's Exterminator
Downs Pest Control serves residential and commercial customers in and
around the Des Moines area. We serve hotels, restaurants, condos,
apartments, duplexes, homes, and most other institutions in the
communities surrounding Des Moines; Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant,
Carlisle, Clive, Hartford, Indianola, Johnston, Urbandale, West Des
Moines, Windsor Heights, and other communities. We strive to offer high
quality ant services at affordable prices. We offer other general pest
control services that are targeted to your pest control needs. We
strive to be central Iowa's most trusted ant exterminator and pest
control operator.
Check out this video to get more details about how to get rid of ants:
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