We have quite a variety of ant pests in Chandler, Arizona. It is common to find ants crawling around in your driveway and around the entrance to your garage. It is common to find them crawling around on your back deck. It is also common to find them getting inside. While this is not something you want, you may wonder how worried you should be. Let’s take a moment to talk about the ways in which ants in Chandler can present a threat to you or someone else in your home and discuss what is required to get control of ant problems.
Contamination
The most obvious way ants can present a threat to you is by getting into your trash and then getting into your stored foods. Ants can be a mechanical vector for harmful bacteria. Some ants are worse than others, but all ants have this capability. If ants are getting into your home, consider protecting foods that are stored in paper, cardboard, or thin plastic. This can help to protect you from food poisoning, and flu-like illnesses. Chandler ant pests that are only known for this are pavement ants, odorous house ants, and Argentine ants.
Identification: These are all small ants. They measure between 1/16 and ¼ of an inch in length, depending on the species. You’ll find these ants in moist or humid areas and, of course, inside your food-storage areas.
Property Damage
When ants get into your home and get into your food, they generally don’t present a threat to your property. They use entry points that already exist, and if they decide to nest in your home, they nest in the voids of your walls, floors, and ceilings without doing harm. Unfortunately, we have a type of ant in our area that can damage your property when it gets inside. It is called a carpenter ant. If you have a carpenter ant infestation, these ants can damage the wood of your home as they chew into wood and create galleries for the purpose of nesting.
Identification: Carpenter ants are the largest ant pests that get into homes. They can be as long as ? of an inch, and they are entirely black or a mix of dark red and black. You can recognize these ants by the sawdust-like material they produce and the holes they create in wood.
Bites
If fire ants get into your home, they present a bite hazard. It is one thing to have them driving you crazy in your yard, but quite another to have them in your Chandler home. They present a serious threat. A bite from a fire ant can cause an allergic reaction. Anyone can have this reaction, even if they’ve been bitten before without a reaction. And it is important to recognize the specific threat fire ants pose to those who can’t get away from them, such as infants and the infirm.
Identification: Fire ants are a dark reddish brown color. They range in size from ? to ? of an inch long. You can tell these ants by the large mounds they create in a yard. If you see mounds near your home, fire ants could be the ants you’re dealing with. If you get stung by one of these ants, you won’t have to wonder anymore if they’re fire ants. You’ll know.
Mechanical Failure
If the ant pests you’re dealing with are crazy ants, they present a threat to vehicles and electronics. These ants are attracted to mechanical things. When they get in by the hundreds of thousands or even millions, you will have issues.
Identification: The sheer number of these ants all clumped together is enough to tell that you’re looking at crazy ants. When crazy ants come into your yard, it can look like the ground is moving.
Disease Threat
If Pharaoh ants are the ants you’re dealing with, it is important to understand that they can present a disease threat. They are implicated in the transmission and spread of more than ten pathogens.
How To Control Ants
The best solution for ant control is to contact Green Home Pest Control. We can help you identify the ants that you’re battling and provide industry-leading ant control solutions. At the first sign of ant problems, reach out to us. We can help.
21 years of pest control experience
Founder and Owner of Green Home Pest Control
13 year resident of Arizona
