How Do Professionals Get Rid of Ants?

by Tommy Underhill JANUARY 20, 2020

Ants might not be one of the most dangerous or creepy pests that you deal with in your home, but they can certainly be annoying and difficult to keep out of your home. If you’re currently dealing with an ant problem, there’s a good chance you’ve tried many different DIY methods to no avail. Professional pest control in Cincinnati can offer tips as well as treatments to make sure you’re victorious in your battle with ants. Here’s what you need to know.

Ant Identification

An important part of the professional extermination process is identifying the type of ant infestation you have. The professionals are well-trained and experienced to know what type of ant they’re dealing with so that they can properly proceed with treatment. The most common type of ants that will infest your home are carpenter ants, house ants, and pavements ants. Other types of ants, like black ants and fire ants, may invade your home as well.

Seal Entry Points

One treatment step the exterminators will take is locating and sealing up entry points against all types of insects. This involves caulking around windows and doors and finding any open space where utility or plumbing lines enter or exit the home. It’s important to get rid of entry points for more ants while working on the ants already living in your home.

Foggers

For some types of ants, the exterminator may be able to use a fogger. However, they’re not always effective because fogging doesn’t penetrate to areas of the home where ants may be hiding. This is especially true if you have carpenter ants in your home that typically live behind the walls. That’s why it’s important to have a professional identify what type of infestation you have. Not all treatments will work for all species of ants.

Baits

Baits are another option that are typically more successful than foggers. There are baits that are specifically made to target certain species because they contain food sources that are more attractive to certain species. Baits are a more effective option because the ants take the bait and then feed it to the queen. When the queen dies, the rest of the colony dies as well.

Granules

Granules are a treatment option that’s used more frequently for an outdoor infestation, rather than inside your home. They usually are activated by water so that every time the granules get wet, they release more insecticide, which increases effectiveness over a longer period of time. This method may be used to treat a fire ant problem in your yard. Dust insecticides work in a similar manner, and like other extermination options, the formulation is different depending on the type of ant being targeted.

Liquid Spray

Liquid spray is a common way for exterminators to treat your home for many insects, but when it’s used for ants, it’s often done in conjunction with other treatment methods. These sprays are usually used on the exterior of the home, but they don’t usually reach the queen and nest itself, which is why bait is often used as well. The spray is often more successful at preventing future infestations after a nest has been destroyed.

Hard-to-Reach Areas

Finally, just as bed bug treatment requires the expertise to find hidden pests, ants require a professional eye to ensure difficult areas like ducts and crawlspaces are treated. Successful ant removal in Cincinnati requires all these areas to be treated as well to keep ants under control. To learn more, contact TRS Extermination today.

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