Six Quick & Simple Ant Prevention Tips For Costa Mesa Property Owners

It is estimated that there are over 10,000 trillion ants around the globe. This can be a bit hard to believe until you take a short walk outside in the middle of summer. You will find ant hills everywhere, inside the cracks of pavement, in the middle of open fields, even inside dead trees and stumps. What’s crazy is that these nests often extend deep beneath the ground and host tens of thousands of ants per colony. If you are worried about ants outside of your Costa Mesa home or business finding their way indoors, we have six quick and simple prevention tips you should use around your property.

Common Ant Species Around Costa Mesa

There are a large number of ant species that live in Costa Mesa. Thankfully not all of them are looking to cause trouble around your property. Here are a few of the most notable types of ants in the area and what you should know about each.

Argentine Ants

Argentine ants are dark brown to black in color, 1/8” to 3/16” long, and have antennae with 12 segments. These smaller pets aren’t known for spreading dangerous diseases, don’t bite, and don’t pose any real danger to your property. The worst you can expect from these pests is some contaminated food and mild annoyance due to their presence.

Pharaoh Ants

Pharoah ants are yellowish-brown in color, 1/16” long, and have red and black markings on their abdomens. Out of all the ants in the area, Pharoah ants are the most dangerous because they are capable of spreading a wide variety of diseases. Two of the most common diseases these pests carry and spread include streptococcus and salmonella.

Fire Ants

Fire ants are red in color, 1/16” to 1/5” long, and have black abdomens. Not commonly known for invading homes or businesses, fire ants are more outdoor pests. Capable of biting and stinging, these aggressive ants cause a fair amount of pain to any individual that comes too close to their nests.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are typically red & black, brown, or entirely black in color, 1/4” to 1/3” in length, and have large mandibles. Although known for scavenging food from homes and businesses, carpenter ants are more notable for the way they build their nests inside large structures of wood. If any structures around your property have been negatively affected by moisture, rot, or decay, carpenter ants might decide to move in. Over time this behavior can result in tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Prevention Tips For Ants

Not all ants are the same, but most ants are preventable in the same ways. Here are six of the most effective ant prevention tips our experts suggest you try.

• Keep your yard and landscaping well maintained and bushes and trees trimmed away from your home's or business’s exterior.

• Reduce moisture by fixing leaks, repairing broken gutters, and using dehumidifiers indoors.

• Keep your home or business as clean as possible, making sure not to neglect beneath furniture, appliances, and other hard-to-reach places.

• Use a caulking gun or some liquid cement to seal gaps, cracks, or holes around the exterior of your building.

• Make sure all of your window/door screens, weather stripping, and door sweeps are in good working order.

• Store leftover foods inside airtight containers and keep counters and kitchen tables clean.

For a better solution to ants, trust the experts here at Smart Pest Control. With us, all you have to do to combat ants is let us do what we do. Using quality treatments and proven methods, we will make sure your home or business stays ant-free, year-round.

Give us a call today to discuss our ant control options, or to schedule a quality inspection for your Costa Mesa home or business.