Did you know that an ant can carry upwards of 50 times its body weight? For certain ants, that’s close to 250 mg. Now, that might not seem like a lot, but when 2,000 ants work together, they can transport over a pound of food back to their colony in one collective trip in and out of your home or business. That’s crazy! If you are tired of crazy strong ants getting into your Columbus home or business property, here are some things you should know.
Common Ants Around Columbus
Did you know that there are over 128 species of ants that live here in Ohio? Fortunately, only a few of these species are known for invading and causing trouble inside homes and businesses. The most common are carpenter ants, pavement ants, odorous house ants, acrobat ants, little black ants, and pharaoh ants. Other species of ants can become a problem during the wintertime if they seek out your home or business as a shelter from the cold.
Most species of ants are not dangerous but are only considered nuisance pests. However, there are a few ants that have been known to cause extra trouble for home and business owners. Odorous house ants and acrobat ants both have an objectionable odor when crushed or interacted with. Even worse, carpenter ants love building their nests out of the wood of homes and business buildings. This behavior can cause severe damage, given enough time. In addition, ants that scavenge inside homes and businesses can contaminate food and drink products with bacteria they pick up on their feet.
What Attracts Ants
Ants are led by their stomachs, or rather by the hunger of their colony. Nests are typically built around areas where ants can find food. What foods do ants like? Most ants live off a diet of sweets and meats. Outside they will feed on nectar, aphids, and the honeydew aphids create. Inside homes and businesses, ants look for food scraps or spilled drinks high in sugars or contain protein. Carpenter ants are a bit different. Although they enjoy sweats and meats, they are more drawn to properties by water-damaged wood where they can build their homes.
Prevention Is Key
To keep ants off your property, you will need to do two things, reduce factors that draw them in and seal your home or business so they cannot get inside. Here are some ways our experts recommend doing these things.
Use a caulking gun to seal up cracks, openings, and gaps in your home or business’ exterior foundation.
Trim hedges and branches away from your home or business’ exterior.
Make sure your gutters are in good working order.
Repair or replace water-damaged wood around your property.
Eliminate sources of standing water around your property.
Pick up pet food and water bowls after they are done using them.
Clean inside regularly, making sure not to neglect beneath furniture and large appliances.
Store leftover foods inside airtight containers.
Make sure your trashcans are equipped with tight-fitting lids.
The Best Way To Handle Ants
Preventing ants can be difficult and time-consuming. If you are looking for an easier way to keep these troublesome pests off your property, the professionals here at 1st Response Pest Management are happy to help. Our team of dedicated pest experts can implement strategies around your Columbus property to ensure that ants of all kinds get the boot if they even think about invading.