Ants are a common pest that business owners need to manage. Getting rid of them can be challenging, as they are resilient and know how to hide and avoid pesticides.
While DIY methods may kill some of the ants, the colony remains. Rather than fighting a battle on your own, hire a professional pest control company to win the war against your business’s ant infestation.
What Attracts Ants to Your McKinney Business
Ants want what most pests want: food, water, and shelter. Ants are tiny creatures, so they can get into businesses through extremely small spaces. If they sense any of these things in your business, they’ll easily sneak in through cracks in foundations, spaces under entryways, or inside of shipping boxes.
Once they get inside, ants eat anything and everything. They are omnivorous, so they will eat the same food that humans eat. They especially like sugary foods. Ants also carry away dead insects, crumbs, and other organic materials to enjoy in their nest.
Ants do not need to drink water from puddles and leaky pipes like other insects. They get most of their water and moisture from the food they eat. Some ants will drink water then return to their nests to regurgitate it for their colonies.
Business owners might find ants in their buildings at any time of the year. Some look for warmer places when the chilly weather arrives, but ants infest businesses all year. If they find food and a safe place to build a nest, they’ll do it.
How to Identify Ants in Your McKinney Business
Identifying ants can be challenging because they are so small and similar-looking. While color and size can help, many people identify ants based on their behaviors. Figuring out the type of ant helps with effectively removing them.
Look for Red Flags
If you see a few ants, you might not have an infestation. However, if you notice that they are moving in trails, they might be odorous house ants. You might also see their nests under openings in the floor.
Investigate Where They Came From
If you see ants wandering around your business, follow them. Eventually, they will return to their nests. 30% of ants in a colony can reproduce, meaning they increase their numbers rapidly.
See What Attracts Them
When they return to their nests, watch what they carry back to them. Foraging ants are attracted to low-toxicity baits indoors and a non-repellant spray outdoors. Diatomaceous earth can also stop them.
Check Their Appearance
Pay attention to the color, size, and behavior to determine the species.
Problems Caused by Ants
A primary concern when dealing with ants is that they spread disease. Most problems happen when ants contaminate food and water, especially in kitchens, cabinets, pantries, and refrigerators. Fire ants or other biting ant species can bite workers, customers, and nearby animals.
Because ants eat everything, they can do damage to walls and furniture, especially if you have carpenter ants. Pavement ants may seem like they only live outside, but they often move into nearby buildings.
If you have ants in your business, it may affect your reputation, as customers might think your business is unhygienic.
How to Handle Ants in Your McKinney Business
The best way to deal with ants is by preventing infestations in the first place. Remove standing water, seal trash bins, and food containers, and clean the floor daily. Keep eating areas clean and ask employees to remove food from their workspaces. Trim tree branches as some ants get into businesses from spaces in attics. Contact a professional pest control team if these steps don’t work.
Stampede’s Dependable Ant Treatment
Ants are a real problem for many McKinney business owners, which is why so many turn to Stampede for help. With our guaranteed pest control services, businesses can offer clean, safe, and pest-free services for their customers and employees.
Stampede Pest Control offers free inspections along with a tailored pest management plan and a treatment procedure with follow-up service. We guarantee that the job is done right.