It starts with
just one sneaky black ant that you spot crawling across your counter. As you kill it, you notice there are a few
more over by the window sill. And upon closer inspection, you learn that there
is a whole family of ants hiding under the garbage can, and they are slowly
making their way towards your cupboard, sniffing out the sticky honey and
baking ingredients.
It doesn’t take long, and pretty soon you have an ant issue on your hands with
ants crawling all over your food, in your cupboards, and up your walls. And you’re not alone.
Here’s what you need to know about this recent invasion in your Toronto home:
What Types of Ants are Common in Toronto?
While you may assume there is only one
type of ant that you are likely to have in your house, unfortunately, that is
not the case. There are several
different types of ants that call Toronto home:
Identified by the trail of sawdust and wood debris they leave in their wake,
these ants chew through wood. They typically show up after having started their gnawing journey
somewhere around the outside of your house; like in rotten wood or a damp
firewood pile. From there they set up
small satellite nests and move into your house, boring through any wood they
find, including walls, the foundation, the roof, and window frames. Massively
destructive in a short period of time, it is difficult to remove these ants by
yourself and typically you need to rely on the help of a professional ant
removal service or exterminator to do the job.
The classic, small black
ant that is regularly seen scurrying around outside; these tiny ants leave mini
dirt piles behind them as they burrow through your garden or walkway. Inside
your house, they are attracted to sweet and greasy foods, and feed on human and
pet food. They don’t stray far from their nest, so once you see them, the nest is
likely within 30 meters.
Identified by their yellow to orange colour and
three antennae, these ants can actually inflict a sting if you disturb their
nest, and can also multiply extremely quickly. They damage your home by chewing through rubber, insulation, and fabric,
destroying the interior of walls, furniture, and other areas of your
house.
While there are a few others you may encounter,
such as fire ants, they are rarely the problem, and it is typically these three
types that are the most common in Toronto homes.
What Do I Need to Know About Ants?
It is safe to say that ants
aren’t really anybody’s favourite house guest, but knowing what to
expect and how they behave is an important component of combating your invaders:
Where Do
They Live?
While there are a few others you may encounter,
such as fire ants, they are rarely the problem, and it is typically these three
types that are the most common in Toronto homes.
What Do
They Eat?
Ants are notorious for loving sweet foods,
and while this is true, they will generally be attracted to any food residue
that it left available. When they successfully find a food source, they will
take it back to the nest for the queen and other ants.
How Can
They Get In?
Because ants are small, they can (and will!)
get in any way that is available. This could be through cracks in your foundation,
around door and window seals, coming in on your shoes from being outside, or
getting in through the ceiling.
Can Ants Damage My Home?
If you are the nature-loving type, you may be
hesitant to initiate the powers of an exterminator and want to take a more
cavalier approach – killing only what you need to and letting the rest "take
its course.” And while it’s noble, it is not wise. When it comes to your home,
ants don’t have an exit date – they have an open invitation. And that means
they bring their friends, and their family, and their friends’ families; and
the tribe multiplies very quickly. If it
is just pavement ants you are dealing with, while an intrusive annoyance, they
do not cause physical damage to your home.
In large numbers however, it does become a health issue given their
volumes of waste germs that they can spread.
Contrast this to carpenter ants and pharaoh ants
however, who can literally chew your house to shreds, and it is a much larger
issue. Once on the path of destruction, without
professional removal, these ants continue chewing through whatever wood, rubber,
or furniture they find; ruining your home’s walls, foundation, and roof. When
you see the tell-tale mini sawdust piles from carpenter ants appear in your
home, or the yellow pharaoh ants walking across your floor, it’s best to make a
phone call right away to a Toronto pest control service.
How Do I get Rid of Ants in My
Home?
While you may be able to combat the first few ants
you see with the classic chalk drawing trick, or put down upward facing sticky
tape so that they get stuck, if you have a persistent ant invasion problem,
it’s time to take more drastic action. Depending on your case, you may need to
call in a professional service for ant control of your Toronto home. For this,
Power Pest Control is the best answer. Providing timely, efficient service,
we’ll come to your house, address the problem, and immediately start taking
steps to eliminate it. We are passionate
about working directly with home owners to solve your problem, tackling each
situation uniquely with the specialized attention it requires. Furthermore, we
do our best to use non-toxic chemicals and natural methods whenever possible,
and simply want you to have your house back to normal and ant free!
If you have noticed mini piles of sawdust near wood
surfaces, have tried several (unsuccessful) at home methods to get rid of the
ants, and you still regularly have ant invasions, it may be time to give us a call! We’re here to help you deal with your unwanted
home visitors, so don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can help.
OR