Ant Control

While ants may seem like a harmless nuisance, they can quickly become a major issue if left untreated. These tiny insects are social creatures that work together in large colonies, making their infestations difficult to manage. Ants are more than just annoying—they can cause serious damage and health concerns:

• Contaminating Food: Ants are notorious for entering kitchens, pantries, and food storage areas in search of food. They leave trails that can contaminate your food and kitchen surfaces with bacteria and germs.
• Structural Damage: Certain species of ants, like carpenter ants, can cause significant damage to wooden structures by nesting in wooden beams, walls, and floors.
• Aggressive Behavior: Some species of ants, like fire ants, can be aggressive and deliver painful stings that can cause allergic reactions in some people, especially children and pets.
• Attracting Other Pests: Ants are known to bring other pests into your home. For instance, carpenter ants may attract termites, while sugar ants can bring in larger pest populations like cockroaches and rodents.

Understanding the type of ant infestation you’re dealing with can help you determine the most effective treatment plan. Here are the most common types of ants found in homes and businesses:

1. 1. 1. Carpenter Ants
         • Description: These large black or red ants are notorious for damaging wood structures. They often create nests inside walls or other wooden structures.
         • Signs of Infestation: Piles of fine sawdust near wood, cracks in wood structures, or the sound of rustling in walls.
         • Problems Caused: Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they hollow it out to create nests, which can lead to costly structural damage if not addressed.
      2. Pharaoh Ants
         • Description: These tiny, yellow or light brown ants are common in commercial kitchens, hospitals, and homes.
         • Signs of Infestation: A small, persistent trail of ants around food and water sources, especially in warm, moist areas.
         • Problems Caused: Pharaoh ants are a health hazard because they can carry bacteria and other pathogens, particularly in food preparation and storage areas.

Ants are persistent and often establish trails to and from their nests. Here are some key signs that you may have an ant infestation:

• Visible Trails: Ants follow each other in a continuous line toward a food source or nest. You may see a trail leading from your kitchen, pantry, or trash bins.
• Food Contamination: Finding ants in and around your food storage areas, including kitchen counters, pantries, and cabinets.
• Nesting Sites: Ants often nest in hidden areas, such as cracks in walls, beneath floors, or inside window and door frames. If you find piles of small debris (such as sawdust or food particles), it could be an indication of an infestation.
• Stings or Bites: In cases of fire ants or aggressive species, you may experience stings or bites. Look for red, inflamed areas on your skin, especially if you’ve been outside or near ant mounds.

Many homeowners try to tackle ant problems on their own with sprays, baits, or home remedies. While these methods may kill some ants, they often don’t address the root of the infestation—especially when ants are nesting in hidden places like walls, floors, or under the foundation. Here’s why DIY control is often insufficient:

• Hidden Nests: Ants can establish colonies deep inside walls, under floors, or in inaccessible areas. Simply killing visible ants doesn’t eliminate the source of the infestation.
• Reinfestation: If you don’t address the colony and the queen, the ants will continue to return, often in larger numbers.
• Incorrect Treatment: Using the wrong ant bait or pesticide can make the problem worse by causing the ants to scatter and create new colonies.

At Edmonton Pest Control, we provide targeted, professional ant control services that effectively deal with the source of the infestation and prevent future problems. Here’s how we handle ant control:

1. Comprehensive Inspection: Our pest control experts begin by inspecting your home or business to identify the type of ant, the location of the nest, and any environmental factors attracting the ants.
2. Targeted Treatments: We use a combination of professional-grade bait systems, ant barriers, and eco-friendly insecticides to target ants where they live and breed. Our treatments are specifically designed to eliminate the colony, not just the worker ants.
3. Exclusion: We’ll seal entry points to prevent ants from re-entering your home or business. This can include sealing cracks around windows, doors, and foundations, as well as addressing plumbing or electrical gaps that ants might use as access routes.
4. Sanitation & Advice: We provide tips on how to keep your home clean and free of attractants, such as food crumbs, sugary spills, and excessive moisture. We may also recommend keeping trash bins tightly sealed and removing food sources that attract ants.
5. Ongoing Monitoring & Prevention: After treatment, we’ll offer regular follow-up visits to ensure the ants are gone for good. With seasonal monitoring, we can prevent ants from returning and provide proactive treatments as needed.