COMMON ANTS
EXTERMINATION

Ant removal by a professional pest control technician

If you’d like to know how to get rid of ants in your home, look no further. Elite Pest Control is a Quebec company that has extensive expertise in ant removal. When one of our exterminators visits your home, he or she will be able to tell you exactly which kind of insect you’re dealing with and how you can get rid of it safely. It doesn’t matter if the ants are indoors or outdoors; we are equipped to take care of the problem.

Types of ants

  • Black garden ants. Known also as the common black ant, control of this insect is important because of the damage it can cause to flower and vegetable gardens. They can be found under flower pots and landscaping bricks, although they often foray into homes in search of food. Colonies can count tens of thousands of workers. In the fall, you may see swarms of winged black ants taking their annual mating flight.
  • Carpenter ants. There are several different species of carpenter ants, which is why it’s important to allow an insect control company to identify and then treat the problem. They chew through damp, rotting wood—including inside the walls of your home—to build their galleries, or extensive tunnel systems.
  • Pavement ants. These house-infesting ants are dark brown or black, and they can sting or bite. Winged members of the colony swarm in the spring. Colonies are typically found under cement slabs, stones and sidewalks, where you might see the ants’ trademark pile of dug-out sand marking an excavated tunnel. They scavenge sweet foods, grease and small seeds—these are the ants who love to raid picnics.
  • Pharaoh ants. These small, nearly transparent ants thrive in buildings. In fact, they are known as the most hard-to-control household ant. They commonly infest homes, restaurants, bakeries and other places where sweet, oily foods can be found. If you find this kind of insect in your home, call us immediately.

Do I really need an ant removal service?

A trail of ants marching across your kitchen floor isn’t necessarily a sign that you’re a poor housekeeper, but it’s an indicator that you’re unwittingly providing a colony with a good source of food. This could be a problem, depending on the type of ant:

  • Carpenter ant galleries can damage buildings over time. They will tunnel through any damp wood structures in your basement, bathroom, kitchen or shed.
  • Pharaoh ants should be exterminated because they can transmit several different illness-causing germs, including salmonella, staphylococcus and streptococcus. One 1992 study from the National Pest Control Association reported that pharaoh ants were seen crawling near the mouths of sleeping babies; clearly, these pest insects are more than just a nuisance.

Other problems caused by ants

Some species are less dangerous, but they are still considered as a nuisance by homeowners and business owners:

  • Pavement ants aren’t known to cause structural damage to buildings; however, their mere presence is often unpleasant for homeowners when the ants make their way indoors.
  • Black ants in your yard may be “farming” aphids for the honeydew the ants like to eat. They will spread the aphids from plant to plant to increase their food source. This leads to a garden full of damaged plants that are now susceptible to other plant diseases. Black ants are also able to tunnel through mortar and brick, which could lead to unsightly visible damage and structural problems.

To preserve the health of your family and the structural integrity of your house, it’s important to deal with an invasive ant problem sooner rather than later. The problem will never go away on its own.

Tricks and tips for preventing an ant infestation

We suggest homeowners try a few prevention tricks:

  • Don’t leave food or dirty dishes out on counters or tables
  • Sweep floors every day to get rid of crumbs
  • Use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of lines of marching ants
  • Block off any entrance points where ants are getting in

You can easily buy ant-killing powders, liquids and aerosol insecticides at the hardware store; however, many of them are not safe if improperly applied, especially if there are children or pets in your home.

How we get rid of black ants

If your efforts to control the ant population in your house aren’t effective, it’s best to entrust the job to a professional.

Depending on the kind of ant problem you have, our Élite Gestion Parasitaire technician will inspect your yard and the perimeter of your house or commercial building to look for signs of a colony. We will look for entry and exit points used by ant scouts, and then use them to destroy the nest. Then, if necessary, we will seal any cracks in the foundation that may be letting ants through. All the products we use are approved by Health Canada and are used judiciously, in the lowest possible doses.

We offer a five-year guarantee and competitive pricing. Contact Élite Pest Control today for more information about what we can do to help you keep your home free of ants and other pests and insects.