Ants do not do direct harm to people. But they become a nuisance when present in a house or property in large numbers. If you have an ant infestation in your house or apartment, the first thing you would want to know is how you can get rid of them or kill them. The best thing is to take the help of an exterminator, who knows exactly how to deal with a bug or pest problem. A lot of homeowners think that one type of chemical or pesticide can kill all pests. This is a misconception, as every particular type of bug or pest requires a different approach or technique for removal. So, the question that now arises is – what does an exterminator do to kill ants. Even when it comes to ants, a pest removal expert or an exterminator may use different types of chemicals, based on the type of severity of the infestation.
Also, keep in mind that pests go through an adaptation. As a result of which, certain chemicals lose their efficacy over time. If you want to know the chemicals that are used today for ant extermination, keep on reading.
Common Ant Species that Attack Homes
There are several thousands of ant species in the world. Among them all, there are some species that are common in homes. In order to deal with an ant problem, it is key to have at least some knowledge about which ant species has actually attacked your home or infested your property.
Bulldog Ants
Of all the ant species found in the world, the bulldog ants are quite well known and dangerous too. Usually, the ant species are found in Australia. However, it is possible to find them in other countries of the world. Bulldog ants or jack jumper ants are aggressive in nature. This means they waste no time defending their nest. Bulldog ant bites can cause allergic reactions.
Fire Ants
Identified with their 2-segmented pedicel, fire ants are considered to be a troublesome pest. Usually, these ants take shelter in open areas such as gardens, lawns, and pastures. But they can enter homes and cause trouble. You will be able to identify them by their mounds. Fire ants are found in several parts of the United States including California, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas among others.
Siafu Ants
Also referred to as army ants, this ant species is very common in the United States. Siafu ants live a gypsy style of life. This means they do not live in one place for a long period of time. Instead, they keep on moving from one place to another in search of food. One key characteristic of these pests is that they do not care how big the prey is. All they need is food to fill their stomach.
Bullet Ants
These ants are so named because their sting causes pain similar to a gunshot wound. Though their bite is very painful, it is not lethal. But you can expect the feeling of pain to remain at least for a period of 24 hours. Usually, bullet ants build their nest in trees and shrubs.
There are many other ant species that can enter your house or apartment at different times of the year. Exterminators are highly experienced in identifying different ant species found in different parts of a country. At Final Exterminators, we have an in-depth knowledge of all types of ants found in and near Moreno Valley and Riverside, California. The most common ant species found in these areas include the Argentine ants, thief ants, southern fire ants, etc.
Professional Method to Kill Ants
Unless the ant infestation in your home, building, or restaurant is a small one that you can handle on your own, you should seek the help of a pest extermination service in or near your location. The method that exterminators use to kill ants is highly effective and it ensures permanent pest removal.
Given below are the key steps of the procedure that an exterminator or a professional pest control service uses to kill ants:
Determine the Type of Ants
The first step is the identification of the ant species. If you have an ant problem in your home or building, the exterminator will first determine exactly which species of ant it is. Unless the ant species are identified, their removal can be difficult and the extermination techniques might fail to give results.
The treatment method varies from one ant species to another. So, proper identification of ant species is crucial.
Understand the Situation
Next, the exterminator will take stock of the situation. It is crucial to find out how severe the infestation is. Most of all, the professional will discuss the situation with the client to keep things on track and know any potential concerns that the client may have. Based on whether the place is a family home or a commercial space, the exterminator will need to factor in multiple things. Also, the professional will find out if the attacking ants have caused any structural damage.
The pest control expert needs to know whether you have pets and children in the house. This is all crucial information that the professional will need in order to determine the ideal solution to get rid of ants.
Come Up with the Right Extermination Method
Finally, it will be time for the pest control specialist to come up with the most effective method to exterminate ants.
There are multiple methods that the exterminator can choose to employ in order to get rid of the ant infestation in your property. The professional may want to use insecticides or chemicals to poison the ants. Ingesting poison is more effective in situations where the infestation has reached a severe level. Using this method, the professional will not only kill the visible ants in your home, but they will also destroy the entire colony, which is the origin of the problem.
Use Follow-Up Treatments
An exterminator will find the ant colony and apply spray on it to kill ants. However, some ants will still be left out. In order to kill those ants that will be out foraging, follow-up treatments will be applied. The goal of the exterminator is to get rid of all ants so that the problem goes away permanently. So, you should expect the professional to use more than one treatment to kill all ants.
At Final Exterminators, we follow a well-defined procedure to get rid of all kinds of ant infestation in a house, apartment, or building. Most importantly, we use all the products in a safe manner. For more details on this, feel free to reach out to one of our specialists in Moreno Valley and Riverside, California.
What Chemicals Exterminators Use to Kill Ants
After assessing an ant problem, the exterminator will use a chemical that will kill and remove the entire population of ants. There is no one specific chemical that a pest control specialist uses. There are many chemicals that are used to get rid of ants. In many cases, the exterminator will need to use more than one chemical at a time to deal with an ant infestation.
Boric Acid
This is a chemical powder that is commonly used to kill ants in a house or apartment. The exterminator will spread the powder all around the property so as to attract ants. The sweet taste of the chemical quickly attracts ants. As soon as the ants ingest the chemical, they get poisoned. Poisoned ants also infect other ants as they travel to their nest. Due to its effectiveness, boric acid is also used to exterminate the infestation of roaches and termites.
Hydramethylnon
This chemical acts in the same way as boric acid does. Once ingested by ants, Hydramethylnon affects and kills ants in a couple of days. As the ants travel to their nest, they carry the chemical with them and poison other ants as a result. In this way, the entire ant colony is destroyed.
Piperonyl Butoxide
Often, exterminators use this chemical in combination with other pesticides to enhance effectiveness. The chemical stops the metabolism process in ants and gradually kills them.
Fipronil
Pest control specialists put this chemical around nests and those areas from where ants enter the house. Once ingested, the chemical attacks the nervous system of ants, thereby killing them finally. Fipronil is applied to kill a number of other pests and insects such as ticks, roaches, beetles, etc. It is a popular choice among all pest control experts to get rid of pests.
Before the ant treatment begins, the exterminator will explain the entire procedure as well as how a certain chemical will affect and kill ants. If you have a particular concern in regard to the use of a chemical, you should feel free to discuss it with the pest control professional to stay informed.
Talk to an Ant Extermination Specialist
If you have an ant infestation in your house or building and need the expert services of a reliable exterminator, you should head straight to the Final Exterminators in and near Moreno Valley and Riverside, CA. Our specialists will assess the severity of the problem and come up with a highly effective solution to kill ants, mounds, and nests while also making sure the ants do not return.
For a free consultation with one of our specialists, give our office a phone call or write us an email using the contact form.
