Winning The Battle Against Ants In Kittitas County: Expert Advice On Effective Control

Everyone wants to be a winner at something. Athletes train for hours to be the first across the finish line. Musicians spend long hours in the practice studio to become successful artists. Many students study while their friends play outside in hopes that they will get a scholarship. Most people want to be the best they can be at something.

When you wake up in the morning and see a gaggle of ants crawling around the trash can or notice ants crawling over your plate while eating breakfast, you know you need to win the battle against ants in your house. To win, you need basic knowledge about ants, understand why they are problematic in the home, and learn ways to remove them. 

If you are serious about winning the war against ants, you need ant control in Kittitas from Prosite. We share your desire to win the war against pests like ants. As a QualityPro Certified company, we have achieved an honor that only a small percentage of pest control companies have to their credit. Our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau is additional evidence of our desire to be the best pest control company in Central Washington. Furthermore, we maintain affiliation with the National Pest Management Association to keep informed of the latest methods to ensure successful pest removal in homes and businesses. 

Please keep reading this article to get suited up to win the battle against ants in your home by learning about them. 

Ant Communication: How Infestations Develop And Spread

If you played sports, you probably had a meeting where the coach showed game films of your upcoming opponent or at least talked about their key players and strategy. Why did the coach explain your opponent? Why not just go out and play against them? Because learning about the competition is necessary to win. So, we will start our preparation by learning about the types of ants that infest Kittitas County homes. The following are the ant species we encounter in many homes:

• Carpenter ants
• Odorous house ants
• Pavement ants
• Pharaoh ants
• Velvety tree ants

We will continue our battle preparation by learning how ant infestations occur in homes. 

An infestation of carpenter ants, pavement ants, odorous house ants, and velvety tree ants occurs through a process known as swarming. These colonies begin when a winged fertilized female ant lands, burrows into the soil or wood, and lays eggs. The ants that hatch are sterile female worker ants. When mature, these ants begin expanding the tunnels, storage chambers, foraging, and nurturing offspring the queen continues to produce. 

After several months a new group of ants hatch in the nest. These ants are male and female, have wings, and can reproduce. Known as swarmers or alates, this group leaves the nest in the spring and soars on the warm air currents. The ants mate in flight, and the males fall to the ground and die soon afterward. The females continue until they find a nesting location. Upon finding a spot, the females land, discard their wings, and lay eggs, and soon a new colony forms.

The other way an ant infestation begins is through a process known as budding. The scenario is similar, except the male and female reproductive ants the queen produces do not have wings. These ants mate in the nest. Although fertilized, the females do not usually produce eggs until a threat arises. When a disturbance occurs, the fertilized females and several sterile worker ants leave the nest to form a new colony in a nearby safe location. Pharaoh ants infest homes using this method; odorous house ants use swarming and budding methods.

Now that we know how ants infest Kittitas County homes, we will briefly describe each species so you'll know what is in your house. Carpenter ants are larger than the other ants. These ants have black, brown, red, or black and red 1/2 to 5/8-inch bodies and create nests inside the wood. Velvety tree ants are the other wood-infesting ants in our area. When they invade homes, they live in nests in wall voids, usually around water leaks or high moisture areas. These ants have a brownish-black head, a yellowish-red thorax, and a velvety black abdomen. 

Odorous house ants have 1/16 to 1/8 inch black or brown bodies. They infest damp areas in the house. Pavement ants have the same body colors as odorous house ants and are about the same size. These ants live in mortar and concrete cracks and form long lines to food sources. Pharaoh ants have a 1/16-inch pale yellowish or reddish body with a darker abdomen. They tend to infest medical facilities more than homes, but when they invade a house, they live in wall voids, behind baseboards, or under flooring. 

Prosite has ant pest control treatments for the ant species infesting your Kittitas County house. Our technicians will identify the ant species in your home to ensure a targeted and effective treatment plan. 

Ant Problems: Health Concerns And Property Damage

Instinctively, we know that an ant infestation is not good. We don't want ants in our home because they are a nuisance. Ants can be embarrassing as they crawl across the floors and on countertops. We feel itchy and somewhat dirty when they crawl over our bodies. Some ants, like the odorous house ants, release a rotten coconut smell when crushed, which adds another layer to the nuisance level. Although they frustrate homeowners, ants inside a house are more than a nuisance.

Have you wondered how ants climb up walls? It is not because they have gravity-defying abilities, but the secret lies in the tiny claws on their six feet. While these claws help ants climb, they pick up bacteria as ants move across unsanitary surfaces. When ants move through the house, the bacteria transfer and contaminate items. All ants contaminate surfaces, exposed foods, towels, utensils, and whatever they crawl over as they move through the house. Although all ants are a problem and contaminate items, some are physically destructive. 

Carpenter ants create nests inside soft, damp wood in the crawl space, basement, or attic. These ants bore smooth tunnels deep into the timbers. As carpenter ant colonies grow in size and number, the amount of destruction increases. Homeowners with a long-term carpenter ant infestation may experience sagging floors or ceilings, warping window or door frames, or collapsing structures. While residing mainly outside, velvety tree ants occasionally infest Kittitas County homes. Like carpenter ants, velvety tree ants cause damage by tunneling through insulation and wood. 

Although they are problematic for medical facilities, pharaoh ants are occasional home invaders. While all other ants contaminate items, pharaoh ants can spread disease. Salmonellosis, staphylococcus, clostridium, and streptococcus are infections pharaoh ants are known to spread. 

Prosite provides ant control service near your home to protect your family and home from the harmful effects of an ant infestation. 

Professional Ant Control: A Great Way To Get Rid Of An Infestation

An "edge" over the competition is necessary to win at sports, academia, or another pursuit, and Prosite is your winning ticket to winning the war against ants. When you call us for help, we send an experienced, trained technician to inspect your Kittitas County home. Our technician will search for ant entry points, attractants, and hot spots. We will share our findings with you, and with your approval, we will lead the attack on the ants infesting your house. 

Our pest control ant treatment consists of de-webbing your house and treating to create a barrier to help prevent future ant infestations. Our environmentally-conscious products destroy ant colonies by sticking to foraging worker ants, which they then carry back to the nest and spread to other members. Unlike a store-bought product that kills ants upon contact, our treatments stop ants at the source, their nests. 

Ant Prevention Tips: Keep Your Home Ant-Free

Prosite is your secret weapon in the war against ants. If you want maximum results in your quest to remove ants, we recommend the following:

• Provide drainage to ditches and low-lying areas
• Prune tree branches and shrubs away from the structure
• Dehumidify the crawl space, attic, and garage
• Repair leaking plumbing fixtures and drains
• Seal foundation and roofline cracks
• Repair holes in window and door screens
• Close the outdoor and indoor garbage containers
• Clean dishes after each meal 
• Wipe down eating and cooking surfaces 
• Suction out the corners and crevices with a vacuum cleaner
• Sweep the house regularly
• Remove pet food from bowls before bed

When a Prosite technician inspects your property, we can provide additional ideas for your location. Maintaining a clean, dry interior and exterior will deter ants from infesting your property. An additional benefit of these recommendations is they will discourage other pests from living around your house. 

Contact us today to learn about our ant pest control service in Kittitas County and get your free consultation.