Ants are a very common pest in and around homes and businesses in the Puget Sound region of Washington. The foraging ants you see represent about 10% of the colony; they gather all the food and moisture requirements for the remaining 90% of ants that never leave the nest!
Everywhere they go, they leave a pheromone trail that helps the colony find their way. Their choice in food supplies can change throughout the year based on the stage of colony development, and the environmental factors around them.
ANT IDENTIFICATION
Odorous House Ants
Also known as Sugar Ants, Piss Ants, or Odiferous Ants, these ants are different from others in several ways.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter Ants are classified as the primary wood destroying organism in Western Washington.
Moisture Ants
Moisture Ants can only infest heavily saturated wood, and have a primary diet of fungus caused by wood rot and decay.
ANT CONTROL PROCESS
Inspection
We begin with a thorough inspection of the property. We identify the species of ant, the areas they are infesting, the food sources they are utilizing, and the conducive conditions around your property that make you a target for infestation.
Exterior Double-Band of Protection
Our control tactics vary based on the species of the ant and the conditions at your property. Often, we provide a double-band of protection around your home; this resolves your current infestation and stops any new activity from arriving.
The inner band runs along the exterior foundation. We use non-repelling transferable products which ants cannot detect, allowing the foragers to unknowingly transfer these products throughout their entire colony. The outer band, which extends several feet around your home, is comprised of repellent materials to help isolate your home from further ant invasions.
Interior
Typically, our interior treatments consist of bait placements only, so there is no need to vacate your home. We only use appropriately-labeled materials designed for effective interior control.
The combined baiting and double-band treatments will have a strong impact on the ant population within a few days, but we ask that you allow two weeks for the full effect of our treatment to take place. If activity persists, we will return within the warranty period at no additional cost, and utilize even more of the tools and tactics in our arsenal to gain control of the infestation in a timely manner.
Prevention
Due to pheromone trails, ant infestations can occur year-round, and make your home a likely target for re-infestation. We will educate you on how to help resolve the problem quickly, and make your home less appealing for pests. and we will inform you of other pest issues that you may be unaware of. Continuing preventative services are available, and recommended to keep your home ant-free.
ANT FAQs
Most ants are chemically sensitive, and some are especially sensitive. The Odorous House Ant for example will shatter their one colony into multiple sub-colonies when they are treated with certain materials. Each colony has multiple queens and they will continue dividing their forces as long as they think they are in danger. The materials available to you over-the-counter at your local store are strong repellents. These products can make any infestation worse. Appropriate materials, equipment, and knowledge is key to resolving any pest infestations.
There are many home remedies for pest control. Cleaning products, boric acid, lemon juice, cinnamon, peppermint, boiling water, chalk, baking soda, vinegar, to name only a few. In the end, you can kill Ants with just about anything, but unless you destroy the entire colony you will not stop them. If you want an Ant free home with lasting results you will need the assistance of a professional.
Ant bait is meant to be one part of the control process. Bait alone will not wipe out an entire colony, and using bait alone will take a very long time to get you the results you want. Ants are also very good at adapting to their environment. They can determine if a food source or food location is killing them. Once they catch on, they stop feeding from that location, or from that bait entirely.
WE GUARANTEE OUR SERVICES
When you call, our friendly office staff will discuss with you the specifics of your pest issue, provide an estimated phone quote based on this conversation, and schedule a time for one of our highly trained technicians to come by for the initial inspection and service.