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Ant Control 101: A Helpful Guide For La Valle Homeowners


September 29, 2023

Ants are a common pest that most homeowners have to deal with at some point. However, many people don’t know how to handle these pests, leading to a great deal of unnecessary frustration and wasted effort.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the basic concepts of ant control in La Valle to help residents better understand these pests. Combating ants can be difficult if you don’t have the necessary information. We’ll talk about the life cycle of ants and how their colonies operate, the health concerns they are likely to cause if left alone for too long, and some simple tips that you can use to keep them away from your home. 

If you’re facing an ant problem and don’t know what to do, contacting a professional pest control company is usually your best option. Pest Control Consultants has been serving the La Valle area for years, providing top-notch pest control to those who need it most. We’re always happy to help and educate our customers.

ants on wood surface

The Life Cycle Of Ants: How Ant Colonies Develop

First, let’s go over the life cycle that ants in La Valle go through. While around 25 types of ants are known to invade homes in the United States, they all go through similar development stages. The four stages of ant development are egg, larvae, pupae, and adult. Depending on the species and certain environmental conditions, this process can take as little as several weeks or as long as several months.

Fertile queen ants will lay eggs once they have found a suitable place to begin a new colony. These eggs are extremely tiny and generally have a transparent white color. After a week or two, these eggs hatch into larvae, starting the next stage of development. These larvae have no legs and must be fed copious amounts of food to continue growing. This task takes up a good portion of time for many of the colony’s adult ants, as they have to digest and regurgitate the food before feeding it to the larvae. Once the larvae grow enough to molt, they become pupae, the third stage of development. Pupae look much like adults but tend to be lighter in color, and their legs and antennae are not yet functional. Once the pupal stage is complete, a fully grown adult ant emerges.

These ants fall into one of three distinct castes – queens, workers, and males. Queens are the females that lay eggs to ensure the colony's survival. Workers are female ants tasked with keeping the colony safe and well-maintained. Male ants are only responsible for mating with the queens. 

Now that you know a bit about the lifecycle of ants, let’s talk about the problems that may arise from an ant infestation.

Ant Problems: Health Concerns And Property Damage

If you’ve seen an ant or two around the house, you might ignore them; this isn’t a good idea. Even a single ant can cause massive problems. Ants are able to communicate with each other in various ways and spread information throughout their colonies quickly, so if one ant finds a new food source, its entire colony is likely to know about it soon. 

Ants will contaminate the food they infest, possibly causing illness. Some species are also known to damage property or deliver painful stings. 

In the next section, we’ll talk about how to keep ants away from your home.

Ant Prevention Is Key: Effective Tips And Tricks

As with most pest problems, one of the best things you can do is to take proactive steps to keep ants out before they get in. Here are a few ant prevention tips that should help you keep your home safe:

  • Store food in tightly sealed containers
  • Take out the trash frequently
  • Cut back tree branches or shrubs that grow too close to the home
  • Seal any cracks or gaps in the exterior of your house

Following the advice above should help you deter ants from invading your home. If you do find yourself facing an ant problem in La Valle, you can always contact a professional pest control company.

Ant Control Done Right: Call The Experts For Complete Ant Control

Professional pest control is the best way to get rid of ants in your home. At Pest Control Consultants, our trained and experienced technicians are ready to provide you with reliable solutions to any ant problems you may be dealing with. We service thousands of clients in the area, and we even offer same-day services to make sure that we can respond to your concerns in a timely manner. 

Contact Pest Control Consultants today for the best home pest control in La Valle.

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