Stan Ketchum is the owner and founder of Ketchum Pest Control, which services the northwest corner of Indiana. His company helps customers get rid of ants, termites, cockroaches, wasps, fleas, raccoons, squirrels, mice, bats, rats, and even snakes. One of the company’s distinguishing features is that it is environmentally safe and responsible, and uses pet- and child-friendly methods that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. They also minimize the use of toxic chemicals as much as they can. Here, Ketchum explains the habits of ants and what you should do if they pay an uninvited visit to your home.
All ants live in colonies that consist of an egg-laying female (the queen), short-lived males, and workers (sterile females). The ants you see foraging in your garden or kitchen are the workers. Workers who find sources of food communicate with other workers by depositing a chemical message on the ground as they crawl back to their nest. Although we cannot smell it, this “trail pheromone” sticks around for long periods of time and helps other ants find the food at the end of the trail.
Fortunately, ant problems are entirely controllable with the help professionals such as Ketchum Pest Control. However, the quality and price of service you will receive varies widely from company to company. At our company, we don’t just postpone the ant problem, we stop it at its source so it doesn’t keep coming back. Using state-of-the art equipment and methods, our licensed exterminators will inspect your home’s environment and construction to identify the problem and determine the best course of action.
But before we even come, you can do to prevent an ant infestation. Since ants, as I already mentioned, are always foraging for a source of food, you need to shut down their “buffet” by keeping all your surfaces clean and free of food. Wipe down your counters, sweep your floor, keep the sink clean, and put all food in airtight containers. Also remember that ant colonies are always sending out lone ants to scout for food. So, if you see just a single ant, get that little bugger! That way other ants aren’t likely to follow his trail. But also make sure that you call a pest control company such as ours to nip the problem in the bud instead of just offering a short-term solution.
If you have an ant problem or want to make sure you don’t get one in the first place, you can count on us to break the pest life cycle and prevent future infestations. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, please contact us today.
