Discover The Surprising Reasons Why Ants Love Your Kitchen

There are more than 13,000 species of ants in the world. Fortunately, the majority of these are not harmful to humans. Although, it should be noted that four species of ants are considered dangerous. This includes the Siafu ant, which is more commonly known as the army ant. They hunt in packs and destroy anything in their way. The pony ant and the fire ant are a nuisance but the biggest danger is the Bulldog Ant, native to Australia and New Zealand. They are like wingless wasps and the most dangerous ant in the world.

It’s a good idea to click here and chat with your local pest control experts. This will help to ensure you know which ants are in your area and how to identify them.

You should note that even the standard ant is capable of transporting disease, although it doesn’t carry them or pass them on through biting. The ant can pick up diseases on its feet and leave them behind when it walks through your home. That’s one of the reasons you should contact the exterminators if you find an ant infestation in your home.

The Carpenter Ant

Before we dive into why ants love your kitchen it’s worth noting that black ants are the most common pests and these are relatively small. If you see larger black ants you are probably dealing with the carpenter ant and you should get expert help quickly.

The carpenter ant is capable of causing as much damage as a termite, they also live in colonies. The main difference I termites eat wood to survive, carpenter ant simply chew it to create homes for themselves.  The damage and potential structural issues are the same in both cases.

There are several reasons ants will be drawn to your kitchen. Being aware of them means you can prevent most of them, reducing the likelihood of ants infesting your home.

Food Particles

A crumb is fairly insignificant to you. However, it can be a feast to an ant. It’s hard to keep track of all the crumbs you’ve dropped, especially if you have children or pets.

Children are often the worst culprits as they will eat a snack but won’t stand still or use a plate. In effect, they are making a trail of crumbs that will attract ants. You may even be able to see where your child has been eating by observing the trail of black ants.

Of course, food particles are also on unwashed plates and the surface where you prepared the food. That’s why it’s essential you wash down all sides, scrub the dishes, and vacuum the floor. You can use a disinfectant spray to ensure that these surfaces have no appeal to your ants.

Don’t forget, pets tend to be messy eaters. Ideally, you’ll pick up their bowls when they’re finished. But, if you don’t you may discover ants enjoying the pet food.

Water

Another thing that ants love is water o moisture. In fact, this is a necessity to stay alive. Pet bowls are generally full of water which can attract ants. They will also be able to detect moisture on the walls or floor and will head toward it.

You can check for water leaks by turning all appliances off and then doing a meter reading. Do a second reading an hour or two later, if it’s changed you have a water leak and you’re going to need to find it.

Eliminating standing water and moisture will help to make your home less appealing to ants.

The Trash

You may have been careful to wipe down sides, vacuum and mop the floor, and even manage all water leaks. However, if you don’t have an airtight lid on your bin you’ll still be sending an invitation to the ants.

It’s important to keep a lid on your trash, empty it regularly, and dispose of it quickly into a kip or outside bin. If you have to keep it on your property make sure it is as far away from your property as possible.

The Entrance Points

Ants aren’t attracted to the entrance points in your building; but, these do allow the ants to move in and out of your home, unseen by you. That’s important to them as they prefer not to be seen. Of course, ants are very small and can get through almost any gap.

Take a look around your home, paying particular attention to the areas around windows and doors. This is where most cracks appear. Seal up the cracks and gaps to prevent the ants from getting into your home.

Sealing Food

Clearing waste food away is a good thing. But, you also need to think about the foods you keep in your cupboards. If there are opened bags of food or the food is only stored in paper bags they will be at risk of attack from ants and other pests. In effect, it’s a free meal for them. They are very good at detecting food and finding it.

Seal all your open food packets inside plastic or metal containers, this will stop the ants from being attracted to your cupboards.

Don’t forget that ants have a passion for sugar. It’s best to double-check any sugar products are safely stored and can’t be accessed by the ants.

Dealing With Ants

Ants are generally small and don’t appear to be a huge nuisance until you make a cordial and find there are dead ants sat in the liquid. However, ants live in a colony. That means when you see a few there will be many more. It’s this that makes them hard to get rid of and the reason you should get professional help. Eliminating all the ants is essential if you want to relax and enjoy your home.

The professionals will treat the area, eliminating the colony and they will guarantee their work, giving you peace of mind. That’s worth the bill by itself!