Summer in Las Vegas doesn’t just mean the onset of triple-digit temperatures. It’s also the peak season for many pests, including ants. Finding ants in the kitchen is especially common during hot weather, which drives them indoors to seek food, water, and shelter. If you’re looking for ways to identify the breeds in and around your home and want to know how to prevent a Las Vegas ant infestation, Flatliners Pest Control has some tips for you.
Types Of Ants Found in Las Vegas
Many types of ants can take over your Las Vegas home or business. The five most common ones include:
- Carpenter Ants
- Black Ants
- Argentine Ants
- Fire Ants
- Odorous Ants
Powerful Pinchers: Carpenter Ants
These large black or brown-winged pests thrive in forested areas, so you might not expect to see them in the desert. Nevertheless, you can find them throughout the Las Vegas Valley. This breed likes to tunnel into wood to build their burrows; enough of them nesting in the walls of your home can lead to structural damage. Their powerful jaws can also yield a painful bite.
These ants can be found in these spots:
- Decaying Wood Structures
- Windows & Door Frames
- Sinks & Baths
- Piles Of Fire Wood
Plentiful Populations: Black Ants
These small insects are mostly found outdoors but can nest inside your walls. They won’t cause the same structural damage as carpenter ants, but they can form extensive colonies, coming out of your walls or through cracks in your door or window frames in droves, searching for food and water.
Growing Fast: Argentine Ants
This breed may be harder to identify than others, given that they can be brown, black, or red. They also vary in size. Like many species, they can form large colonies in a short time. They often create “super colonies” with hundreds of queens and can even mix with other species in combined colonies. They are attracted to sweet foods and moisture.
Stingers & Venom: Fire Ants
These venomous red insects both bite and sting. That’s right – they can clamp onto your skin with powerful jaws and sting you from the back. These stings can cause a burning sensation and more severe reactions for many individuals. At least they prefer the outdoors and won’t nest in your walls, but fire ants may tramp inside through tiny openings to seek food and water.
Odorous Ants Or ‘Sugar Ants’
These tiny black or brown pests have a single thorax. They love to eat sweet things. If you crush them, they leave a distinct smell resembling rotting coconut, hence their name. These ants will build a nest in your home or business, especially if they can find food and sugar in the open.
Ant Infestation Tips & Tricks
The most important thing you can do to prevent infestations is to keep your home clean and free of food debris. Here are additional tips for kid and pet-friendly summer pest control.
- Pack up all loose food items promptly.
- Store pantry food in sealed containers.
- Keep your countertops clean and dry.
- Wash and dry honey and other bottles before putting them away.
- Periodically check your cupboards for crumbs or signs of ants in food.
- Don’t leave pet food out all day, store food in sealed containers, and don’t feed your pest any pest-infested food.
- Place bay leaves around cabinets and cupboards as a natural bug repellent.
- Spray water and peppermint essential oil around your baseboards and window sills.
- Seal cracks and holes around your walls.
- Install floor sweeps and ensure window screens are correctly fitted.
- Plant mint, basil, and other pest-deterring plants around your home’s perimeter.
- Set up a regular professional pest control service.
OTC Pesticides Can Be Ineffective & Harmful
Are you always reaching for that can of bug spray or setting out gel traps, but the pests just keep coming? That’s because OTC methods of pest control just aren’t as effective as professional treatments. Moreover, a lot of insecticides can be harmful to kids and pets. This includes many common traps and baits, foggers, and bug spray. If you keep any of these on hand, be sure to store them out of reach, preferably in locked cabinets, don’t place them where kids or pets can touch or eat them, and use them sparingly.
Got Ants? Call Flatliners Today!
Infestations are a real hassle during the summer – and every other season. If you’re a Las Vegas home or business owner having trouble keeping ants outside where they belong, don’t hesitate to call Flatliners Pest Control now. We know just how to locate and exterminate ants so that you can enjoy a more peaceful and enjoyable summer.