Some people say that Orlando is one of the most entertaining places in the world. As residents, we wholeheartedly agree. Unfortunately, though, there are a variety of ant species that also love to live in Orlando; to invade our properties and ruin our fun in the Florida sun.
Common Florida Ants
In Orlando, we have to deal with many different ant species, all of which bring different risks. Whether they’re a nuisance to your outdoor fun, a threat to your stored food, a severe health risk, or a potential threat to damage your house, you don’t want any of these ants to invade your home or property.
Many species of fire ants and harvester ants will invade your outdoor spaces in search of food. While they don’t typically inhabit your house, they have a painful sting that can ruin outdoor activities very quickly. Some victims of severe fire and harvester ant attacks suffer health effects as serious as anaphylactic shock.
Inside your home, you’re more likely to see small black ants that invade in large numbers. They’ll set up nests around the inside and outside of your house before sending scout ants to look for food sources. If they find that your home is full of excess crumbs or easily accessible food stores, then you’ll have an infestation quickly.
Then there are the carpenter ants. These large, dual-threat ants will not only contaminate your stored foods, but they’ll also cost you hundreds of dollars’ worth of home damage. Carpenter ants don’t make nests in the ground. They carve nests out of the wooden structures in your home. However, they don’t eat the wood as termites do. As they work, they’ll search for crumbs or poorly stored food within your home, making them twice the headache to have around.
Proper Ant Prevention
Whether you’re worried about wood damage, health threats, or just the uncomfortable feeling of finding ants in the pantry, preventing these pests is key. One of the best ways to start is with deep cleaning. If you can limit the factors that are attracting ants, then you might have a fighting chance of keeping them out.
What attracts them the most is food: whether it’s loose crumbs lying around or poorly stored food items. You’ll want to wipe out the cupboards, clean the low-traffic areas like behind/under appliances, and vacuum/mop regularly. You’ll also want to store your food properly (and immediately) after meals. Leaving food sitting on the counter or in the sink overnight can attract ants quickly. Also, all food and trash needs to be stored in tightly-sealed containers.
Apart from limiting their attraction to your home, you can also limit their entry points. Now, most ants are very small, so sealing up every entry point is going to be tough. However, if ants don’t find a convenient entry point quickly, they’re much more likely to move on to another property.
Start by checking your screens for large holes or tears before shifting your focus towards exterior doors. If you don’t have proper weather stripping on the doors, then ants can easily slip in. Furthermore, some silicone-based caulk can be used to seal up any cracks/crevices around the foundation, which typically occur around the window frames and along the ground.
Unfortunately, you can implement all of these preventative measures correctly and still wind up with an ant problem in your home. If you want guaranteed prevention to protect your home from health dangers and home damage, then professional pest control is your best option. Call Green Flag Services today.
Tags: ant identification | ant control | ant prevention |
Request Your Free Inspection
Complete the form below to schedule your no obligation inspection.
I've been with Green Flag for a few years. Important to me was pet safe pest control, which they provide. They have always been extremely responsive to our needs, followed up with our satisfaction and offered increased services to make sure the job is done right. All of the techs have been professional and friendly and I am glad I found them. I always recommend if someone is looking.
Brian , Florida