While ants certainly aren’t the most frightening or imposing of household pests, they are a nuisance all the same. Seeing a long trail of ants snaking its way across your kitchen counter or through your conservatory isn’t a comforting sight! And though you might not feel like immediate action needs to be taken (as you would with a rodent, roach, or spider infestation), it is still a serious issue that should be treated with careful consideration.
After all, as tiny as these little pests are, when left to their own devices, ants can damage the structural integrity of your home, contaminate food supplies and even transmit foodborne disease organisms.
So, what do you do when you suspect that you have an infestation of ants in your home? Should you hire an exterminator? Is it worth it for pests like ants?
In this article, we’re going to explore this in greater depth, including what type of pest control measures professionals use to eradicate ants and how long you can expect to spend trying to rid your home of an infestation.
Here’s everything you need to know about dealing with an ant infestation in your home in Australia…
Is it worth getting an exterminator for ants?
So, is it really worth hiring an exterminator for ants or would you be better off saving your money and attempting to handle the situation yourself?
Honestly, it’s always best to hire professionals, no matter what type or level of infestation you are dealing with. Then again, it all comes down to you:
- How quickly do you want the infestation resolved?
- Can you stand the thought of having ants crawling around your home while you sleep at night?
- How big is the infestation?
- Do you have small pets and children to look after?
- Do you have the time to invest in laying bait and traps?
The fact is, hiring a professional exterminator to get rid of your ant invaders has many benefits, such as pest identification; there are many different types of ants and thus the baits and chemicals that you use must be appropriate. A professional will easily be able to identify the type of ant you are dealing with, the extent of the infestation, where their nest is most likely to be, and subsequently prescribe the most effective means of dealing with them as quickly as possible.
What do professionals use for ant control?
What methods do professional exterminators typically use for ant pest control? Whether you are curious to know what you will be paying for, or if you’d like some inspiration to go ahead and try to take the nest down by yourself, here’s a quick look at the most common methods utilised:
- Foggers: foggers are among the most effective methods for dealing with ants that are nesting in the walls or beneath your floorboards. That said, before an exterminator can use their foggers, some preparation will need to be made. For example, you will need to gather your family, pack your essentials, and stay away from the house until the extermination is finished. That way, you and your family will be sufficiently protected from all of the nasty fumes and residences from the insecticides used. While arguably the most invasive method, it is also the most effective!
- Baits: a pest control professional may decide to use some gel baits to clear ants. These are especially effective when an ant hill or nest is exposed and easy enough to access. Then, the pest control expert will simply apply these baits near the infested areas and wait for the ants to start ingesting the poisons. These baits will also be returned to the anthill and feasted upon by the rest of the ants, effectively killing off the entire colony.
- Dust: ant dust can be applied directly into the ant hill. This causes panic throughout the colony forcing the ants to surface, thus coming into contact with the ant dust and killing them immediately.
These are the most common and effective means of dealing with an ant infestation.
How long does it take to get rid of an ant infestation?
So, how long can you expect to spend on getting rid of an ant infestation entirely? This largely depends on the size of the infestation and the methods used. If you hire a professional pest control company like SWAT Pest Control, you can have the problem resolved quite quickly. However, typically speaking, you can expect the issue to be resolved within a week or two.
Once effectively treated, your pest control expert can help you with pest-prevention tips. The key to ensuring that you don’t end up with another ant infestation is by making your property as unattractive to prospective invaders as possible. Your pest control expert may recommend the following:
- Seal it up: go around your property and inspect it closely. You’ll want to identify all possible entry points, such as small cracks in windows and door frames. Using sealant, you can block these entry points off and significantly reduce the amount of access that pests of all shapes and sizes can have to your home.
- Keep it dry: make sure there are no leaky toilets and faucets in and around your home. You want to eliminate all potential sources of water for pests to enjoy – this is effective for keeping other pests away as well, such as roaches and mosquitos.
- Clean thoroughly: keep your home clean and tidy – particularly the kitchen. Wipe down the side after use and make sure that all crumbs and food waste are eliminated so as not to provide a free meal for would-be pests.
- Tidy up after pets: after your pets have eaten, make sure you clean around their bowls and tidy up any excess food and water spillages.
Conclusion
To recap, while an ant infestation might not feel urgent, if left untreated for a while it can cause serious damage to your property. The best approach is to nip it in the bud as quickly as possible by hiring a licenced pest control expert. Within a week or so of effective treatment, the pests can be eradicated once and for all.
We hope that you have found this article helpful and wish you the very best of luck when dealing with your unwanted visitors!
