The year is almost halfway over. Summer is peaking out now, with the roar of lawn mowers and the smells of family BBQ’s on every corner. And insect populations are also peaking. Bugs love this time of year to spread the love, reproduce, and find new homes. So today, we’re going to talk about one of the worst summer pests and talk about 2024 Florida Ants
2024 Florida Ants: How do I keep ants out of my Florida home?
Ants are a real problem once they get into your home or business. So one of the best methods of keeping them away is to keep a clean and tidy home. If you have nothing to attract the ants indoors, there’s a good chance there’ll never be much of a problem. To start this, begin by addressing any ways the ants can get inside.
You can use caulk to seal cracks or crevices that ants may enter. This can be improperly installed doors, worn weather stripping at the bottom of doors, or holes that utility pipes enter your home through. Screens also need to be checked and maintained because a damaged screen is an easy way into your home for an ant. Consider trimming back any bushes or trees that come into contact with your home. It really only takes one errant branch for a tree to become a superhighway for bugs into your house! One tip I give people is to garden away from the home and build a small exclusion trench that you fill with gravel around the foundations of your house. These rocks get hot when exposed to the sun and will dissuade many bugs from even trying.
Other than that, regular cleaning is important for keeping ant numbers down in any Florida home. Sweep, vacuum, and mop regularly to remove crumbs and spills—clean countertops, floors, cabinets, and pantries daily. Store sweets in airtight containers, wrap them tightly in foil or plastic or keep them in the fridge. Don’t leave food out, and store pet food properly between meals. Take out the trash at least once a day and use a covered trash can.
Natural repellents like vinegar are worth a shot but can be messy and more trouble than they’re worth.
2024 Florida Ants: What species of ant is common in Florida homes?
When it comes to the Tampa area, there’s a handful of ant species that can be found invading homes regularly. Let’s start with one of the worst and most painful offenders, the fire ant.
Red Imported fire ants
Also known as RIFA, red imported fire ants are a pest that originated in South America. They made their way to our shores around the 1930’s and have taken over the south since. Because their home environment is highly competitive and much harder to survive in than ours, they’ve taken over the entire South East and are marching steadily west.
Fire ants get their name from the pain their stings inflict. These pests are some of the most aggressive ants on the planet, and will viciously attack anything they perceive to be a threat. When they attack a person or animal, Florida fire ants will grab them between their mandibles and then hold on. With their tight grip, they then begin stinging in a circular pattern to deliver as much of their alkaline venom into the victim as possible. Enough of these ants stinging someone at once can cause them to go into shock and die. The thread is worse for children and young babies. Nothing will make you want to control 2024 Florida ants like waking up to see them all over your child or in your bed!
Ghost ants
Another import from South America is the elusive and troublesome ghost ant. These ants are less dangerous than fire ants when it comes to bodily harm but worse when it comes to home infestations. Infestations made up of ghost ants are usually hard to spot at first. And that’s think of this ant’s namesake- their bodies. Ghost ants are translucent and clear, with a dark colored head being the only real way to spot them. But good luck, as these are some of the smallest ants in Florida.
The other problem they pose is their habits when nesting. Ghost ants are a unique issue once they’re in your home. The way they set up is usually in wall voids or behind cupboards. But the issue really begins when they fill up that spot. Ghost ants will produce queens in their colonies and send them to other areas of the home to start new ones. And once those are established, they will merge together and share resources while forming a super colony. So if you spot even one ghost ant in your home, there’s a good chance you’re gonna need some 2024 Florida ants’ help!
2024 Florida Ants: What do I do about an ant infestation in my home?
We already touched on a few methods you can use above to keep their numbers down in the home once they enter. But really it just comes down to fastidious cleaning and an attentive eye. You don’t want to let anything that may attract ants to hang around in the home for any amount of time. But once the ants are already established, they’re very difficult to get rid of on your own. And that goes double if the infestation source is actually inside of the house.
Instead, let Earth’s Best Pest Control show you why we’ve been in service in the Tampa area for three decades. Earth’s Best uses proven, safe methods of pest control that avoid many of the pitfalls of chemical controls. These can include danger to your home and pets. And ants that reproduce as quickly as they do can very rapidly evolve and be resistant to many forms of pesticides if used improperly. So visit our website at insectfree.com today. Once there, you can either call the listed number or fill out the pop up on the home page to get the help you need today!
