Everyone dislikes a mooch. If you don’t know what a mooch is, it is someone who steals or begs for food from everyone around them. We believe this unappealing character trait is best seen in ants. These small social pests feel entitled to whatever food they can find. It’s not your casserole, or your bag of chips when ants are around; its theirs. In order to keep annoying, food-stealing ants from invading your Pensacola home, here is a handy step-by-step guide to ant prevention for you to use.
Common Invasive Ants Around Pensacola
Florida is not just diverse with its people groups, but also with its many species of ants. Here are a few of the most common ants found around Pensacola homes, the problems they cause, and how to identify each of them:
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are aptly named for the locations where they build their nests, such as along streets, beside sidewalks, and around driveways. Identify this pest ant by its light brown to black, 2 1/2mm to 3mm body, and lighter-colored legs.
Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants, unlike many other common ant species in our area, carry and spread diseases. A few diseases these pests can transmit include salmonellosis and streptococcus. Identify this dangerous pest by its yellowish-brown, 1 1/2 millimeter body, and the red and black markings on its abdomen.
Red Imported Fire Ants
Red imported fire ants are one of the only species of ants that both bite and sting. If attacked by one of these pests, you may feel a stinging, pinching, or burning pain around the affected area. Identify this painful pest by its red, 1 1/2mm to 5mm body and darker hind section.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants almost primarily build their nests inside structures of water-damaged, rotting, or decaying wood. If your home’s wood is negatively affected in these ways, you could be in for a fairly significant repair bill. Identify this destructive pest by its red, black, or red and black, 6 to 12 millimeter body, and large mandibles (mouthparts).
The Annoyance Of Ants
Different ants cause different problems. Some sting, others destroy wood, a few spread disease. The only problem all ants share is that they steal food from humans. If you can’t stand trails of ants crawling through your home and yard, then we have some simple ant prevention tips you should know about.
10 Ways To Prevent Ants Around Your Pensacola Home
- Keep your lawn trimmed short and your landscaping well maintained.
- Make sure your gutters are in good working condition.
- Be careful not to leave food or beverages outside and clean up thoroughly after outdoor gatherings.
- Avoid feeding your pets outdoors and clean out their bowls after every meal.
- Use a caulking gun to seal up cracks, holes, and gaps in the exterior of your home.
- Repair damage to window and door screens, door sweeps, and weather stripping.
- Fix leaky pipes and fixtures in your home and around your property.
- Store leftover foods inside airtight containers and do your best not to leave food or beverages out in the open.
- Clean up messes as they happen inside your home.
- Limit the number of rooms where you eat food to just one or two.
One Secret Tips To Handle Ant Problems
Want to know a simple and easy trick to preventing ants? Get a professional involved. At EnSec, we take advanced pest control tactics and combine them with industry-leading products and treatments to provide our customers with the best services possible. Let the ants in your neighborhood know your home is off-limits, by trusting us today.
Give our team a call or reach out to us through our website to learn more about our ant control, or to schedule a service visit for your Pensacola home. Learn more about our home pest control and lawn care services.