Have you ever spilled your coffee on the floor during your morning rush to get out the door, left it to clean up after you get home from work, only to find the spill covered in ants when you return? If this has ever happened to you, then you have encountered sugar ants. “Sugar ants” is a common term in Texas given to any species of small ants that are drawn to sugar or “sweets”, many species of which are commonly found in and around your Tampa home.
Can Your Ant Problem Make You & Your Family Sick?
Most sugar ant species are harmless and create more of a nuisance than anything. However, a common species of sugar ant found in Florida, the pharaoh ant, can be hazardous to your health due to their diseases. Pharoah ants do not bite, but they carry pathogens such as salmonellosis, staphylococcus, and streptococcus, contaminating all surfaces that they crawl across, including your food prep area, your cabinets, and your pantry.
Pharaoh ants are pale in appearance, often appearing yellow or reddish in color with a darker belly. They have six legs, antennae and are only roughly 1/16 of an inch big. Pharaoh ants have also been known to invade cafeterias, restaurants, grocery stores, and even hospitals. They are particularly dangerous in hospitals as they can invade IVs and wounds of patients and contaminate sterile operating rooms and surgical equipment.
How To Rid Your Tampa Home Of Disease-Carrying Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants live in extensive colonies with thousands of worker ants and several hundred queen ants. Due to the incredible size of their colonies, they can drive out other native ant colonies, spreading quickly throughout your home. If disrupted, their colonies often break and form new colonies, creating a branching out effect, enabling them to cover even more territory.
Because of the invasive nature of pharaoh ants, they can be challenging to eliminate from your Tampa home. The most effective, efficient, and safest way to rid your home of a sugar/pharaoh ant infestation is to call our professionals at Bold Servicing. Our family-owned pest control business will inspect your ant infestation and customize your ant control treatment plan to best suit you and your home.
How To Prevent Future Infestations Of Pharaoh Ants In Your Home
It is important to know what to do in and around your home after the ants are gone to deter them from returning. Pharaoh ants are drawn to warm, moist areas near food and water sources. They often build their nests between walls or under floors and travel through your home using the electrical wires and plumbing pipes to get from room to room.
The best way to stop an infestation is by taking some preventative measures around your home, such as:
Inspect your home for possible points of entry, including small openings around pipes and wiring and cracks around doors and windows.
Eliminate any standing water outside your home and use a dehumidifier inside your home to prevent moisture buildup.
Store firewood well away from your home.
Keep kitchen counters and floors clean, wiping up spills as they occur, and cleaning up crumbs.
Store food in airtight containers. Keep pantry cabinets clean of crumbs.
Dispose of garbage regularly and keep it in a trash receptacle with a tight-fitting lid.