What You Need To Know To Keep Ants Away From Your Dallas Property
9/15/2020
As Dallas residents, we take extreme pride in our quality of life. That includes the kind of home and property we may own. We like to show off for friends, host parties, enjoy outdoor barbecues...all of that good stuff. While every Dallas property is different, something they all have in common is ant problems. Nothing ruins a party or some outdoor fun like ants in the birthday cake or someone’s kid stepping in a fire ant mound. However, the more you know about the common ants that plague the Dallas area, the better chance you may have at protecting your home, property, and peace of mind.
Dallas Ants
The ants you’re likely to encounter in the northeast Texas area are (in order of most likely to less likely) acrobat ants, carpenter ants, fire ants, black ants, and pharaoh ants.
Acrobat Ants
Acrobat ants are well-known for their ability to manipulate their bodies in order to avoid danger or to find a food source. If you see light brown or black ants around your property, contorting their bodies in weird ways when disturbed, you probably have an acrobat ant infestation. These are considered nuisance pests as they don’t present a health threat or a threat to structures in your home.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are the more destructive of the bunch, typically building nests within the wood of homes. They’ll tunnel through walls and ceilings in order to create a home or find a food source. You’ll see lines of black, dark red, or even yellow-colored ants filing into holes in the wood of your home if you’ve got a severe problem. Given enough time, these pests can create costly damage in your home almost to the same degree that termites will, so spotting an infestation early is key.
Fire Ants
Fire ants may not be as destructive, but they’re severely aggressive. When their nests are disturbed, they’ll attack in bunches and sting frantically, sometimes resulting in required medical attention for the victim. Fortunately, these dark brown ants won’t nest indoors, so you’ll only need to watch out for them in the yard.
Black Ants
Black ants are the smallest of the group, but they’ll travel in bunches. Their small size also makes them fairly destructive and elusive as they can squeeze through nearly any opening, hole, or crack. They’ll line up in droves once they find a food source, and, before you know it, your pantry could be overrun.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are also very small, but usually red or light brown in color. While they won’t do much damage in your home, they can pose a severe health risk to you and your family. Wherever they travel, they can carry and spread bacteria and diseases along the way, contaminating furniture and food-preparation areas most often.
Ant Prevention
You’ve seen the way ants work. They are incredibly talented at getting to where they want to go. Their ability to find openings and squeeze through can allow them to get into your house, making it very hard for you to keep them out. However, if you can reduce their attraction to your home and property, then maybe they won’t want to find their way in. Ants will find any possible food source in your home, so proper food and trash storage is one of the best ways to reduce attraction. You also need to keep your home and kitchen clean, ensuring the dishes are washed regularly and no crumbs/spills are left unattended. This includes pet food that may not get stored properly or pet food crumbs left on the floor.
Most ants are attracted to dark, moisture-filled areas like under appliances in the kitchen and basement. If you can manage the moisture in your home by checking on pipes and appliances regularly, this should reduce attraction as well.
Guaranteed Results
Now, remember: most ants might not be a huge health risk, but they can cause serious damage to your home and food stores. Along with potential damage, ants are a nuisance in your yard and outdoor leisure spaces. Running around with the risk of stepping in a fire ant mound or having your food eaten by black ants is no way to enjoy a picnic. With your peace of mind on the line, don’t try to get rid of ants with the inconsistent results of home remedies. Instead, trust the pros at Lonestar Safe Pest for all of your ant and insect control needs.