Ants belong to the order of Hymenoptera, an order in which females lay their eggs inside of a host or in places that are otherwise inaccessible. For ants, these eggs are usually found underground, inside a tree, or within another structure of wood. Each ant colony is separated into three categories: workers, male reproductives, and female reproductives, also known as queens. Ants are most commonly found scavenging for sources of food and water across yards and inside homes. In cases of carpenter ants, they can be found destroying the structural wood of a property to build a nest.
Ants are not dangerous creatures the only species of ant that poses any major concern in the GTA is the carpenter ant, which makes its home by excavating into water-damaged wood. Beyond this, ants are mostly considered nuisance pests that disturb indoor and outdoor peace.
Ants are foraging creatures by nature, known to build their colonies close to an accessible source of food and water. If your home or yard is providing ants with easy access to the scraps they need to survive and thrive, chances are they are more likely to expand and continue to invade, rather than leave you and your home alone. In most cases, problems start when scouting ants invade your home through a crack or gap in its external foundation. Once that ant gets inside, if it finds the sustenance it is looking for, it will then bring information back to the colony about your property’s location. Once ants have a way in, a source of food, and water, your ant problems won’t go away.
These colonies act as home bases for the ants scavenging the surrounding area. Some ant species such as carpenter ants will build their nests inside wood either out in nature or within the structure of your home itself. Others will establish their nests right within the wall voids of your home. Our pest control experts can help you determine which kind of ants have invaded your property.
We will not only evaluate your problem thoroughly—identifying species of ants, nesting sites, and attractants—but we will also set up a defensive barrier around your home, designed to keep ants from scavenging indoors.
When trying to exclude ants from your property, knowing why they invade is important. In general, the fewer sources of food and water they can find, the better. If you are hosting an outdoor gathering, make sure to clean up scraps of food after you have finished eating. When feeding your pets, be sure to pick up their food bowls after feeding time. Finally, as much as possible, keep areas where you make and eat food clean of crumbs or scraps that ants would consider a feast.
At-home ant treatments may eliminate the visible problem, but they’re not strong enough to exterminate an entire population. The ants that survive simply retreat to safety and start rebuilding the colony.
It is possible to eliminate the whole colony and all the nests, but it takes knowledge, experience, training, and the right equipment. After the initial treatment from a professional exterminator, you will see improvement in your pest problem. However, it can take several weeks or several months and several appointments to completely remedy the situation.
We don’t stop until the problem is solved. Our process includes the following steps:
Our exterminators may also recommend a maintenance plan that includes prevention tips that will discourage re-population of the original or new ant colonies.