How Ants Get Into Orange County Homes

Ants are a problem everywhere, but here in Southern California, they are a particular concern. Ants are one of Orange County’s top nuisance pests, and they’re something you as a home or business owner will probably have to deal with at some point. That means you need to be able to identify signs of an ant problem and take measures to prevent one before it starts. The good news is there’s plenty you can do to keep ants away from your property. Below, we’ll talk about some common ants you might run across in your Orange County home or business and what to do about them. 

Common Orange County Ants

Argentine Ant

Argentine ants, as their name suggests, are native to Argentina, though they’ve spread themselves around the world and now occupy every continent but Antarctica. Argentine ants are the one ant on this list that doesn’t pose any danger to people or property. These ants are still a nuisance though, and they like to cultivate aphids for their honeydew. So if you get an Argentine ant infestation, you might wind up with an aphid problem in your garden as well.

Carpenter Ant

Carpenter ants pose a serious problem for property owners because of how they build their homes. Carpenter ants tunnel through wood to make their nests, and they can do as much damage as termites if they take up residence in your house. If you see bulging walls, sagging ceilings, or ill-fitting windows and doors, you could have termites – or you could have carpenter ants. Either way, it’s important to treat the problem fast before irreparable damage occurs.

Pharaoh Ant

Like Argentine ants, pharaoh ants are an invasive species from another continent – this time Africa. Also like Argentine ants, pharaoh ants have spread themselves around the world. However, pharaoh ants pose more of a threat to your health because they contaminate food stores with dangerous bacteria like streptococcus, staphylococcus, and salmonella.

Red Imported Fire Ant

You may have noticed a lot of invasive species on this list, and this variety of fire ants fits the trend. Red imported fire ants hail from South America, and they earn every bit of their moniker because of their fiery tempers and equally fiery stings. When you disturb a fire ant mound, thousands of ants will swarm in a matter of seconds, stinging you as many times as it takes to get you away from their nests. These stings can cause pain, swelling, scarring, infection, and even anaphylactic shock in allergic individuals.

Ant Prevention Measures

With all the problems that come with an ant infestation, you don’t want a colony or two of ants inside your home. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to deter them:

• Keep foods stored in the fridge or airtight containers – including pet foods.
• Fix moisture problems – repair leaky pipes, unclog drains, and dehumidify moist areas.
• Tightly cover all indoor and outdoor garbage cans.
• If you see a line of ants, spray white vinegar on it to disrupt their pheromone trails.
• Seal up potential ant entry points like cracks and holes in your home’s foundation or siding.

If you still can’t seem to keep ants out of your home or business, there is another solution. Here at Cura Termite & Pest Control, we can cure a pesky ant infestation in no time. Our pest control services are designed to target hundreds of different pests, and ants are one of our specialties. So give us a call at (949) 272-8643 or visit our contact page to schedule your appointment today. We offer residential as well as commercial pest control solutions.