The minute you see an ant crawling on your kitchen counter or your fruit bowl, you know there’s a problem. Ants are a common problem for homeowners in Pasadena. While getting rid of ants may not be a huge issue, it’s important to note the difference between indoor and outdoor ant infestations.
You may not think there’s a difference; an ant is just an ant, right? Wrong!
Some ants are only found outside, while others are only found indoors. Plus, there are different methods on how to get rid of them.
By the end of this article, you’ll know how to deal with both indoor and outdoor ants and how to prevent them from infesting your property in the future.
The Only Difference Between Indoor and Outdoor Ants
There is only one significant difference between indoor and outdoor ants – location.
While some ants may prefer to be in your home while others enjoy the outdoors, they’re essentially the same. However, the location of your ants will determine how you get rid of them.
If your ants are inside the house, you’ll want to use safe chemicals and sprays, especially if you have children and pets around. For outdoor ants, you can use harsher chemicals.
Prevention methods also vary depending on whether you’ve seen them indoors or outdoors.
There really isn’t a difference between indoor and outdoor ants, though. The only difference is the location and how to get rid of them.
Types of Ants
There are over 12,000 different types of ants in the world. That’s quite a lot of species to be on the lookout for. It’s important to identify which type of ant you’re dealing with when you notice an infestation in your house or on your property. This will help you decide how to handle them.
Fortunately, there are only about five different ant species you need to look for in Pasadena and the Greater Baltimore area.
Acrobat Ants
The acrobat ant is known to scurry around kitchens and live in small spaces like cracks in the walls, floors, and counters. When threatened, they will sting you.
You can identify this type of ant by their heart-shaped light brown bodies.
Odorous House Ants
If you think stinkbugs are a problem, just wait until you come in contact with an odorous house ant colony. When smushed, they release a foul odor comparable to rotten coconuts.
This species particularly enjoys sugary foods and likes to live in piles of firewood.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are red and black colored and have wings to fly. They usually create their nests in moist wood. So, if you have a pile of wood lying around or leaks in the house, you can expect a colony of carpenter ants to arrive fairly quickly.
Pavement Ants
Pavement ants are tiny in size compared to other species. As their name implies, they prefer to live in pavement cracks. Their colors range from light brown to black and can be particularly pesky.
Thief Ants
These ants are some of the tiniest ants in the world. You may not notice them in your home for weeks; they’re that tiny. However, they do have a habit of contaminating your food. This is particularly dangerous because they feed on dead rodents, which carry harmful diseases.
Prevent Indoor Ant Infestations
Nobody wants to deal with an indoor ant infestation, so it’s essential to take precautions to prevent them from entering your home. There are quite a few easy ways you can do this. The primary prevention tip to take away from this article is to simply keep your home clean.
Don’t Leave Food Out
Ants love to munch on your leftover food sitting on the counters or crumbs left on the floor. One of the most critical prevention tips is to make sure food is sealed in containers and cleaned up if spilled.
The less food left out, the lower the risk of attracting ants into your home.
Seal Cracks and Openings
We’ve already determined that ants like to build their nests in tight spaces like cracks. To keep indoor ants from infesting your home, seal cracks in the floor, windows, and doorways. This can be done with caulking materials.
Use Garbage Cans with Lids
Garbage cans with lids will also prevent ants from entering your home. Since they can’t reach the food and moisture inside, they’ll be deterred and find food elsewhere.
A closed garbage can goes for both indoor and outdoor ant prevention. All trash cans that may have food in them should be sealed shut.
Prevent Outdoor Ant Infestations
An outdoor ant infestation may not be as noticeable as an indoor one, but you’ll still want to take preventative measures. If ants start gathering and colonizing close to your Pasadena home outdoors, it’s only a matter of time until they’re inside.
Here are some practical prevention tips to keep outdoor ants from infesting your yard.
Trim Back Trees and Bushes
If there’s a tree with branches near a window of your house, you’ll want to trim it back a bit. Ants can easily crawl from the tree to the window and through any cracks.
The same goes for bushes. Keep them away from your home, and you shouldn’t have issues.
Get Rid of Leaf Piles
Another fact we’ve established about ants is that they like to colonize in moist places. If you have a pile of leaves raked up and sitting in your yard, it’s an invitation for ants to come and make it home.
After raking those autumn leaves, make sure to dispose of them quickly and adequately.
Grow Ant Repelling Plants
Nature is a beautiful thing. There are a handful of plants that actually repel ants. These plants include peppermint, spearmint, sage, and catnip.
Simply grow them along your property and feel better knowing ants aren’t likely to infest your yard.
Managing Indoor Ant Infestations
If your prevention tips don’t work as expected and you have an indoor ant infestation, you can still do some things to get rid of them.
First, you’ll want to prepare your home. This means putting away any food that may have been left out, cleaning the areas thoroughly, and getting rid of anything else that may attract ants.
Next, you’ll have to decide which extermination method is suitable for your situation. You can use ant sprays, baits, or simply vacuuming them up with some cornstarch.
It’s important to do your research about the products you want to use. Avoid using sprays and harsh chemicals near sinks, cabinets, and other places where you place food.
Managing Outdoor Ant Infestations
Just like with indoor ants, you should prepare your yard to get rid of outdoor ants. This means getting rid of things that attract ants, such as woodpiles, leaf piles, and anywhere that collects moisture.
With an outdoor ant infestation, you can use harsher chemicals and sprays to eliminate the ants. Extermination sprays and repellents are widely available. Ant baits also work well to get rid of an outdoor ant problem.
An important note to mention when managing ant infestations is to find the colony. If you simply get rid of the ants you see, more and more may come. You have to go right to the source to fully solve your problem.
Don’t Get Antsy, Call Brody Brothers Pest Control
Some ant infestations call for a professional exterminator to come in and take care of the problem. Brody Brothers Pest Control is Pasadena’s leading pest control service.
We take pride in the safety and effectiveness of our extermination treatments. You’ll have an ant-free home in almost no time at all when you let us handle the situation.
Call us for a free estimate today!
