March ...or June... of the Ants
With the warmer weather you may have noticed some unwelcome guests in your home recently. What are these ants doing inside anyways?! Well, pests in general are more active in the warmer months for a few reasons. They are typically looking for: moisture, food, water, shelter from the elements, and/or favorable temperatures. So, how do you keep your home ant/roach/mousefree during the summertime or rid of these pests safely once they’ve moved in?
First, ensure you are plugging cracks and holes on the outside of your home, including areas where utilities and pipes enter the house. Keep an eye out for loose mortar and weather stripping around basement foundations and windows as moisture sites provide the perfect breeding site for ants and other pests.
After checking those proactive measures off, aim to keep your spaces clean so that the ants don’t have access to food. Store food in airtight containers, dispose of garbage properly, do not leave pet food out for prolonged periods of time, keep areas around appliances like toasters tidy, and wipe clean countertops on a regular basis. Long list but even the smallest bit of crumbs could be enough to attract these guys into your space!
If preventative maintenance hasn’t cut it and you already have some entrenched visitors, there are a few options. You still will want to ensure that pests are cut off from any access to food before attempting to evict them. Our preference is to go the eco-friendly, pet-friendly route whenever possible. Some of our top choices are Diatomaceous Earth powder, baking soda mixed with some sugar, lemon juice spray, and peppermint essential oil. All of these natural remedies can be applied at the site of the infestation or near your entryways and will either deter them or… destroy them while still keeping the humans and pets in your home safe. Your choice on which route to take- no judgment here!
As always, we encourage you to work with a trusted vendor to identify issues early, so that they can be solved quickly and without collateral damage to your home. Stay tuned for tips from us about more complex pest issues (squirrels in your attic, anyone?) and those that are better handled by the city (sometimes you can just call 3-1-1).