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Of all the ants common to the Houston area, the Pharaoh ant may well be the most often underlooked when they find their way into homes, even though they're one of the more dangerous species.
These prolific little yellow insects are only about 1/12 of an inch long. Still, they treat themselves like royalty when they invade your home, helping themselves to your food and spreading dangerous pathogens. If you notice Pharaoh ants on your Houston property, don't let them take over—take action immediately. In this post, we'll show you why you should worry about Pharoah ants and provide the best way to eliminate an ant problem.
What Do Pharaoh Ants Look Like?
Pharaoh ants have a distinctive semi-transparent appearance. They are small, about 1/12 of an inch long, with amber-colored bodies that often bear black or red markings on their abdomen. To identify signs of an infestation, you need only look for their workers marching in rows along your walls and floor. These industrious little invaders build nests in walls, cabinets, and other seldom disturbed areas. They usually congregate around sources of food or moisture, which generally causes them to infest the kitchen and bathrooms.
Pharaoh ants are most infamous for infesting hospitals, where they not only invade any food storage but also often crawl all over patients to drink the moisture from their eyes and mouth.
How Dangerous Is It To Have Pharaoh Ants In My Houston Home?
Although Pharaoh ants don't usually bite, they are efficient vectors for quite a few infectious pathogens. Due to their scavenging instincts, they tend to spread these diseases to people's food. If you're fighting a Pharaoh ant infestation, it's important to disinfect all cooking surfaces regularly. Otherwise, you're at risk of contracting diseases such as salmonella or streptococcus. As you can see, these little insects are much more than a mere nuisance!
Easy And Effective Ant Prevention Tips For Houston Homes
Whether you've successfully driven the ants out and want to ensure they can't come back or just want to make sure you never have to deal with them, follow these useful guidelines:
- Keep your property clean and clutter-free.
- Practice proper food storage using airtight containers.
- Practice proper garbage disposal using tight-fitting lids.
- Install door sweeps and window screens.
- Seal up any cracks or crevices around your home.
- Repair any possible leaks around your home to limit excess moisture.
- Consider investing in a dehumidifier and strategically place it in your home to reduce excess moisture.
- Partner with the knowledgeable professionals at All-Safe Pest & Termite.
- Despite your best efforts, you still may find yourself dealing with an ant problem. Fortunately, the experts at All-Safe Pest & Termite can help.
The Safest Way To Get Rid Of A Pharaoh Ant Infestation In Houston
Pharaoh ants are extraordinarily prolific, often establishing nests on extremely short notice. If you see workers wandering the home searching for food, you may have a full-blown colony living in your walls. Pharaoh ants are also very adaptable, often splintering off into multiple colonies if a threat to their first one is detected. As such, they can be incredibly difficult to exterminate on your own as they continue to spread pathogens, steal food and multiply. This means that usually, the best way to take care of a Pharaoh ant infestation is to contact a professional for guidance.
Reach out to the experts at All-Safe Pest & Termite to take control of the situation. Our certified technicians utilize the cutting edge in technology and methods to guarantee you a pest-free property, eliminating the present problem in a timely manner and putting in place proven prevention measures so that another issue never arises. When you partner with All-Safe, you're getting the very best in pest control.
