With over 10,000 species of ants in the world, they’re an insect most of us are pretty used to. Luckily, most species of ants aren’t dangerous to humans. The ants around your garden or home are usually more of an annoyance than anything else.
But this changes if there’s an ant infestation. Once you’ve got an infestation, it leads to consequences that are a serious problem.
Keep reading to learn more about the long-term effects of an ant infestation, and how to avoid them!
Long-Term Effects of an Ant Infestation
The presence of too many ants in your home can have some serious consequences. Luckily, if you deal with the problem immediately, you’re usually able to avoid these.
Home Damage
We’re all warned about the dangers of termites in the home, but not that ants can cause the same damage! While ants don’t eat the wood, they use it as a nesting ground and carve tunnel systems through it.
This leads to structural damage to your home, which can be dangerous for your family and expensive to fix.
Watch out for ant infestations in wood that is wet, possibly rotting. Since the wood is softer, it’s an easy starting point for an infestation.
Health Risks
There aren’t too many immediate dangers of ants. But while most ants aren’t critically dangerous to humans, a lot of them can still bite or sting. And in some cases, humans can have allergic reactions to these injuries.
The other pests that ants bring in can also be a health risk.
Other Pests
Ants are a great food source for some animals, so if you’ve got an ant infestation, the predators are going to follow. This means other insects and animals might enter your home in search of food.
How to Avoid Ant Infestations
Most of the time, ants are just following the food. If you follow these suggestions, and the ant problem is still small enough, then the ants will usually leave on their own.
If you’ve got an ant infestation that’s out of your control, don’t panic! Hire us and we’ll get rid of those ants. Learn more about our pest control services here.
Improve House Hygiene
It’s usually food and mess that brings in ants. Leaving crumbs around or having greasy countertops is almost guaranteed to bring in ants.
Make sure you’re cleaning up all crumbs, spills, and any food. Make sure all food containers are tightly sealed. Empty the trashcan regularly.
The kitchen is the biggest concern. Keep it spotless, and the ants won’t have any interest in your house.
Fix Leaks
Food isn’t the only cause of a household ant problem. Ants follow water sources too. Check all your faucets and pipes for leaks, and fix them.
When you remove the water source, the ants will look for it somewhere else.
Dealing With Ant Infestations
An ant infestation isn’t an immediate problem, but you always want to deal with it sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with the consequences.
That’s where an ant exterminator comes in! Contact us for all your pest removal needs.
