When you buy food at the supermarket you usually only have a few people in mind that you are going to share it with. What you aren’t thinking about are all the ants you could potentially feed. Nevertheless, when ants are around it doesn’t matter who you are trying to feed, they will always find a way to get their share. For those of you who don’t want to share your food with pests, here is a handy ant control guide you can use around your Longview home.

What Ants Are Common In Our Area

Longview Texas is home to a wide variety of ant species. We have little black ants, Pharaoh ants, crazy ants, red imported fire ants, carpenter ants, and many more. To help you better understand some of the more common ants around our area here is a brief description of each.

Little Black Ants: Little black ants are the most common home-invading ant here in Longview. These small, black, 1/16 of an inch long pests are best known for their ability to sneak into even the most secure of homes and steal food as they wish.
Crazy Ants: Crazy ants can range in color from yellow to dark brown to black. Typically 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch long, these home invaders can be identified by the way they move about in jagged erratic patterns.
Red Imported Fire Ants: Out of all the ant species here in Texas red imported fire ants are by far the most painful. Equipped with both a stinger and a pair of powerful mandibles to bite with, this ⅛ to ⅜ of an inch long dark reddish-brown pest is most commonly found outside in dry hot areas.
Carpenter Ants: By far the largest species of ant here in Longview at nearly ⅝ of an inch in length, carpenter ants are known for the way they destroy homes as they build their nests. Typically red, black, or a combination of both in color, these problematic pests try to keep to themselves but can occasionally be found indoors looking for a bite to eat.
Pharaoh Ants: Most ants are harmless, Pharaoh ants are one of the few exceptions. These 1/16 inch long pale yellow or red ants are known to carry and spread a wide range of dangerous bacteria and disease. One of the common infectious diseases these pests can spread is salmonellosis, which is caused by a bacteria of the salmonella type which can be found on rotting meat.

Prevention Tips For Ants

Whether you own a home or business, keeping ants away is extremely important. To do this here are some prevention tips our experts recommend.

Check the exterior of your home or business for cracks, gaps, or openings ants might try to use to get inside. Seal off these entry points using liquid cement or a caulking gun.
Make sure all of your window and door screens are in good repair.
If you have not already done so, invest in high-quality door sweeps for all exterior doors leading out of your home or business.
Inspect weather stripping around your home. Repair damage as needed.
Check pipes and fixtures around your home for leaks and repair any issues you find.
Make sure your gutters are in good working order and able to properly channel water away from your home.
Store leftover food inside airtight containers.
Make sure your trash cans are all equipped with tight-fitting lids.
For additional help with ants in or around your Longview property, turn to the professionals here at Innovative Pest Control. Our team knows how to effectively handle any type of ant problems you and your home or business is up against.

Give us a call today to find out more about our ant control services or to request your free inspection.

Categories:

Home Pest Control,
Ant Control,
Ant Prevention

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