Ant Control FAQs

Ants are an all too common nuisance in homes and businesses in the Seattle area, and while many buildings become infested with the pests, many consumers don’t know much about ant control. As a result, when they discover that their home or business is being invaded by ants, they’re not sure whether to hire an ant exterminator and have a number of questions regarding what to do. Written with the help of professional ant exterminators.

How Does a Home or Commercial Business Building Get Ants?

Ants have an undying urge to establish a colony and keep it maintained. Most often, ants prefer to live outside, but in their searches for food, they will come into buildings looking for crumbs and edible debris. When an ant finds food inside of a home or business, it leaves a scent trail that other ants can follow. Normally, the ants that are spotted inside a building represent only 10 percent or less of the entire population of ants. In some cases, ants may establish a secondary colony inside of a home or business building to be near a food supply, or they may even set up a colony indoors to avoid bad weather.

Are Ants Dangerous to our health or property?

There are many species of ants, but most found in the Seattle area are not dangerous. The most common ants, black ants, do not pose any threat at all and are merely a nuisance. But Carpenter ants can damage property by burrowing into rotten, soft wood. Fire ants can cause painful, itchy bites, but they do not usually carry diseases like some other types of pests.

 Is It Possible to Get Rid of Ants?

To fully get rid of ants, it is necessary to not only kill the foraging ants that are visible in a kitchen or another part of a home or business; effective ant control must also include extermination of the colony. It’s also necessary to determine how the ants got into the building to prevent reentry by a new colony in the future. Once these things are figured out, ant control products like insecticides and traps can be used to deal with the pests.

Are DIY Ant Control Products Effective?

Yes and no! DIY ant control products can kill the foraging ants that a homeowner or business owner spots, but normally, these products cannot completely eliminate a colony of ants. That’s why experts typically recommend hiring an ant exterminator. Professional ant exterminators can fully eliminate the colony and then discuss maintenance plans with the homeowner or business owner to ensure that the residence or commercial building stays ant free in the future.