The weather is finally warming up, and the spring season is approaching in Middle Georgia. While it is an exciting time for many, it often marks the return of one of the most common insects in the area: ants. While eliminating all ants from your property is an impossible task, there are some steps you can take to prepare your home for spring and keep ants outside. Here are five ways to keep your home safe from ants and take control of an ant invasion.
1. Keep an Eye on Potential Mound Locations and Entryways
Ants are well-known for their distinctive mounds, but not everyone knows that these soil deposits serve as an entryway to a network of underground tunneling. In other words, ants are meticulous, prepared, and everywhere. You need to be prepared as well. By locating and treating the anthills in your yard, you can prevent them from eventually reaching your home.
Check your yard and make a note of common nest locations, such as:
- Corners of pavement
- Logs
- Rocks
- Trees
- Rotten wood
Inside your home, ants will most likely flock to your kitchen or bathroom. Look frequently in those places to ensure there aren’t any ants. If you find some, it means their colony is likely nearby. Follow any ant trails you see since there’s a good chance they’ll lead you right to their nest.
2. Clean Up Leftover Food
The kitchen is one of the most common places for ants to show up, and leaving your dinner out can be a quick way to bring in an infestation.
You can keep your kitchen safe from ants by:
- Storing food in sealed or locked containers
- Using bag clips
- Washing leftover food off your dishes before storing them in the sink
You should also use a broom or vacuum to clean areas of the floor where crumbs usually gather, including areas around:
- Kitchen appliances
- Couches
- Garbage bins
3. Trim Your Trees and Landscape Your Yard
Your home isn’t the only place you should keep tidy to avoid ants. Make sure your property’s plants, shrubs, or trees are well-cleared and trimmed. Plants located near your home or that touch the exterior are especially important, as they can provide an easy way for ants to access your home. Check frequently to ensure these plants aren’t infested or rotten, and properly dispose of compromised plants if you can.
4. Stay Up to Date on Spring Cleaning
While spring cleaning can feel daunting, a neat home is much less likely to attract ants. Keep your surfaces clean, and wipe down your kitchen and bathroom floors frequently.
It might be helpful to clean with substances that repel ants, such as:
- White vinegar
- Glass cleaner
- Detergent
5. Check your Houseplants
While your houseplant may look great in your living room, it can be a potential nesting place for ants. Look for ants in and around your houseplant, and throw away plants that seem to attract bugs.
Even if you follow these tips, you might find yourself in need of ant control this spring. If that happens, call National Exterminating. We keep houses pest-free all year long!
National Exterminating can keep your house pest-free with our successful pest control methods. Call us today at 478-922-1410.