Los Angeles residents love the fact that the weather is moderate to mild, and they can enjoy outdoor activities almost all year. Los Angeles residents also know that ants can be a real problem and do not always remain outdoors.
Ants are one of the most common insects that create a need for pest control in Los Angeles. These insects are found in great numbers in Los Angeles because the weather is perfect for them. They live most of the time outdoors, but when they get an opportunity, they invade your home.
How To Tell If It's Ants Crawling Around Your Yard In Los Angeles
Ants are a nuisance, and to keep them under control, you have to be able to identify them and take action early. One Argentine ant queen on your property can lay as many as 60 eggs per day. These ants will develop from egg to larva to pupa to adult in about two to two and a half months.
Argentine ants in your yard will leave small mounds of earth, but most of the time with Argentine ants, you will notice a trail of insects traveling up the trunks of trees, sides of buildings, and the stems of your plants.
Carpenter ants in Los Angeles are a larger ant species that may go unnoticed until they have already infested the wood of your home. Signs of carpenter ants include seeing sawdust-like shavings in small mounds under boards. Looking at the wood, you will notice small holes drilled into it. You may even see tiny pieces of insulation inside your home's walls where the ants have torn through the insulation on their journey inside your home.
How Dangerous Is It To Have Ants In My House?
The majority of ants that you will come into contact with in Los Angeles are not dangerous to your health. However, carpenter ants in your house can create a structural integrity issue because these insects burrow into the wood to build homes for themselves.
Common ants in Los Angeles residential areas include:
- Argentine ants: These insects are a nuisance, and they are most likely to do damage to food. They also contaminate your counter surfaces by crawling all over them.
- Pharaoh ants: Pharaoh ants in your home bring potential health risks for you and your family. The pharaoh ant is known to spread diseases like salmonellosis, staphylococcus, clostridium, and streptococcus infections.
- Carpenter ants: These insects are more of a danger to your property than they are to your health. They infest the wood of your home while creating galleries to live in and, over time, the holes and tunnels they have made in the wood threaten the house's structural integrity.
To reduce the dangers, you must prevent ants from coming inside. Being aware of the presence of ants is the first step in prevention.
How Do I Prevent Ants From Coming Into My Home?
You can use several measures to prevent ants from entering your Los Angeles home. Prevention requires diligence and planning. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the best prevention method for ants. IPM is a joint effort between the homeowner and the professional service technician, combining strategies to make the home less attractive to the ants.
You can also keep food in sealed containers, clear debris away from the home, keep tree limbs from extending too close to your roof, and keep garbage in a sealed container.
The Best Way To Protect Your Home From Ants
If you have seen ants around your home or suspect ants are living in your home, call A Step Above Pest Control and let one of our service technicians help you create an ant management plan. We want you to never worry about ants again, and to do that, being proactive rather than reactive is key to success. Give us a call today to find out more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Los Angeles.