Whether you’re inside or outside, you’re likely to come across at least one ant in Dallas and Fort Worth. Unfortunately, this is bad news for business owners. Some ant species cause damage and can hurt your business. Find out everything you need to know about ant control for your Dallas business.
What Local Ants Are Problematic?
Although there are many species of ants in Dallas, only a few of them will hurt your business. The three species of ants you need to be wary of are the carpenter ant, Argentine ant, and fire ant.
Carpenter ants are large, black ants that tunnel in wood. However, they can vary in color and are best identified by their habits. Meanwhile, fire ants are smaller and red or dark brown. They are rarely found indoors but could be nesting on your property.
Finally, Argentine ants are light to dark brown in color. They like moist areas and may take shelter inside your place of business.
The Problems Associated With Ant Infestation
Each type of ant comes with its own set of problems. For instance, carpenter ants cause damage to wood. They can destroy the structure of your business or ruin your wood furniture. As a result, repair costs can hurt your business.
Fire ants aren’t known for causing physical damage to buildings, but they are known for their sting and aggressive nature. If a customer or employee steps near a fire ant nest, they could be stung. One sting is enough to cause serious pain, but the ants usually attack in numbers. If an individual has a reaction to the ant’s venom, they may require immediate medical attention.
Argentine ants are notorious for their ability to breed quickly. In one colony, there could be thousands of workers. It only takes a short time for Argentine ants to take over a business. Although the ants won’t harm your customers or employees, they will be a nuisance. Potential customers might decide to shop elsewhere.
Regardless of the type of ants on your property, one fact remains true. Ants are extremely difficult to remove once a colony has been established. Typically, DIY methods are ineffective at ant removal. To get results, you need an experienced professional.
Ant Prevention
Before you have a major issue on your hands, you should take some steps to prevent an ant infestation. The most effective way to accomplish this is to remove all factors that attract ants. Keep your floors and counters free of food and crumbs. If you dont regularly sweep and vacuum your floors, ants will be attracted to small particles of food. You should also store food in tightly sealed containers.
Because Argentine ants are attracted to moisture, you need to limit moisture in your business. While its impossible to eliminate all moisture, you can fix damaged pipes and use proper ventilation.
The property around your business must be well-maintained, or ants will find a way into your business. To limit moisture and hiding spots, clean up leaf and debris piles. If there are any decaying logs or firewood piles, move them as far away from your building as possible.
How To Get Rid Of Ants
Once ants have taken over your business, theres not much that you can do. The problematic species of ants tend to breed quickly and have large colonies. If you want to eliminate the pests, you need to have experience and the right tools for the job.
The best way to keep ants away from your business is with professional help. Delta One Pest Control has everything it takes to resolve your ant issues. If youre ready to get started, give us a call.
