Cutting Off The Food Supply Means Getting Rid Of The Ants In Tampa

Household ants are one of the most common pests to plague homes in the United States. Ants are incredibly social insects, living and working within a complex social hierarchy. There is the queen ant who resides at the top of the order, reproduces, and manages the colony. Below the queen are the soldier and worker ants.

Thousands upon thousands of ants can live within a single colony. With such high numbers, ants need a constant supply of food. This search for food can lead ants directly to your Tampa residence. Having thousands of ants trailing across your yard and through your home can be an overwhelming sight for anyone. Fortunately, learning the habits of ants and what attracts them can go a long way toward keeping them away from your home. EcoSmart Pest Solutions can help you in getting your Tampa, FL home free of ants.

What Do Ants Eat?

There are over 10,000 species of ants in the world. Here are some of the most common types of household ants in Tampa:

• Sugar ants
• Fire ants
• Argentine ants
• Pharaoh ants
• Carpenter ants
• Field ants

 Fire ants are red ants that are known for their painful sting; they prefer to eat honeydew and other insects. Argentine ants are an invasive species of dark, shiny ant; they like to eat sugary foods. Pharaoh ants are pale-yellow ants known for spreading disease; they typically eat sweet and oily foods. Carpenter ants are large, black ants notorious for destroying wood; they mostly eat other insects and sweet foods. Lastly, field ants come in a variety of shades and prefer to eat honeydew.

How House Ants Find Food: Scouting And Gathering

Ants find food by utilizing their extraordinary sense of smell. Ants have odor receptors located on their antennae. In fact, ants have four to five times more odor receptors than most other insects. It is the job of the worker ants to scout out food sources. After finding a food source, the worker ants notify one another via pheromones; they use chemical signals to communicate. After establishing a food source, some ant species create a pheromone trail from their nest to the food source so that they can remember the route and return often.

What Happens If You Interrupt An Ant Trail

An ant trail is a chemical trail that leads directly from the ants’ nest to their food source. Interrupting an ant trail will cause ants to abandon that pathway. However, without proper disruption, the ants will create a new ant trail.

The Key To Keeping Ants Out Of Your Tampa Home For Good

Ant pest control starts with prevention! To prevent ants from being attracted to your home, it is important to keep vegetation trimmed back from the side of your house, which removes plant ladders, which ants can use to access your home. For additional ant control in your house, keep your home clean and free of food spills; this will avoid ants seeing your home as a food source. For ant control in your yard, keep trash stored securely in trash cans with tight-fitting lids in order to keep ants from scavenging through your waste. 

 If an active ant infestation is already taking place on your Tampa property, you will need to reach out to a professional for ant control solutions. An expert in the field, such as Ecosmart Pest Solutions, can guarantee an ant-free home. Pest control in Tampa is in good hands with Ecosmart Pest Solutions. We have over 25 years of experience solving pest problems. Our treatments are effective, safe, and have a low environmental impact. For guaranteed satisfaction and peace of mind, reach out to Ecosmart Pest Solutions today!