Although they are among the more useful insects in nature and cute when viewed from afar, ants in the home become terrible pests and our enemies. The sight of ants crawling through a house is not pleasant to the majority of homeowners. However, the general dislike of these insects is not the sole risk. While it may come as a surprise to most people, ants can have an impact on your house and your health. When you become aware of the dangers of having ants in your Jersey City home, you will realize how important it is to find the best exterminator and contain an ant invasion.
How do ants come into our homes?
Ants come inside our homes in search of food. Bad remediation, emptying of garbage cans, leftover food, and a messy home act as an invitation for ants to move in.
You will first notice one or two searching for food. While this won’t upset you, keep in mind that thousands and thousands are waiting for a signal to join them. Ants can make colonies in the walls and foundations of houses, and this is a problem that is not so easily solved.
Ants mainly come into the kitchen, where it is easiest to get food. But it is not uncommon for ants to be in the bathroom, as the moisture suits them to create nests and settle. Precisely because of their ability to adapt to different living conditions, these insects inhabit all areas of the planet. So your Jersey City home is in no way safe from the infestation. These pests can settle in any space, residential or commercial, during any season.
Dangers of having ants in your Jersey City home
Infestation on the rise
We have already mentioned – as with most pests, when you notice one, there are often hundreds more hiding nearby. They can return to their nests after finding a good food supply and invite more ants to join them. In severe situations, they may even urge new queens to move inside your house and establish a colony closer to the food source.
Caption: A few ants should be dealt with before they grow into a large nest, saving you time and money.
Alt: Ants making a nest as one of the biggest dangers of having ants in your Jersey City home.
Be on the lookout for new queens and their mates who are on the prowl for a new nest. Also, keep an eye out for discarded wings – this indicates that they do not need to fly anymore because they have found their new home.
Damage to the home
Termites can do significant damage to your house, but you may not be aware that some species of ants can do the same. Over time, termites and carpenter ants can both cause extensive harm to wood structures in homes. If this happens in your Jersey City home, it might be time to hire movers to organize safe and hassle-free relocation to your new ant-free home.
Carpenter ants build nests in hollow spaces and decaying wood. Instead of consuming the wood itself, these ants burrow through it to inflict damage. Identifying a carpenter ant issue is more challenging because the damage they inflict is buried in walls, frames of windows and doors, porches, and other wooden structures.
Caption: It is possible to detect an infestation just by seeing one or several ants in your Jersey City home.
Alt: A close-up of an ant on the ground.
Wood shaving stacks under a wood surface may indicate a carpenter ant infestation. Also, ants burrowing through woodwork may cause a slight rustling in the walls. They are generally black. Typically, they are between half an inch in length. However, some are shorter.
Your pest control professionals can help you prevent more damage to your property. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to schedule a consultation.
Contamination of food
Ants are useful creatures that play a significant role in the ecosystem, but their presence in your home is by no means welcome. Ants are carriers of pathogenic microorganisms that they transmit to humans and thus spread various infectious diseases. Looking for food at high speed, they will cross large areas of your home and contaminate everything they touch. If left unaddressed, they can go through and consume vast quantities of food in a couple of days, causing significant cross-contamination.
Ant exterminators will remove all types of ants. Click here or call Pest Off Environmental at 201-878-5227 to remove ants from your Jersey City, NJ home.