Animals and insects are essential to the environment, and ants are no exception. Ants help aerate the soil, decompose organic matter, and keep our environment clean.
Ant invasions in your office are not a welcome sight. As the weather gets warmer, ants ramp up their activity.
Keep reading to find out what attracts ants to Dallas businesses and how you can get rid of them.
How Do Ants Enter Businesses?
Ants are tiny and can enter businesses through tiny openings. They may enter establishments through:
- Any small cracks, gaps, or holes in the foundation
- Gaps underneath the doors
- Poorly sealed back doors or windows
- Openings in utility lines like wires, pipes, or through the vents
- The sub-flooring beneath the carpet, wood, or tiled floors
Their small size makes it difficult to monitor all potential entry points. The best approach is to eliminate what attracts ants to your office in the first place.
What Attract Ants to Businesses?
There are three main things that serve as a welcome sign for ants to enter your property. These include:
Food
Ants love readily available food sources, especially sugary food. The kitchen or break room must be kept clean at all times. Leftover food, crumbs and spills, pet food, and heaping open trash bins are potential food sources for ants.
Moisture
Ants need water to survive. They do not need large puddles of water, but ants tend to inhabit the humid and moist areas of a property. Ants are likely to invade properties with leaky pipes, dripping faucets, or where there is excess moisture from potted plants, soaking wet rags, or towels.
Shelter
Ants will build their nest anywhere warm and cozy. They seek safe places where they can reproduce and thrive.
Ways to Prevent Ants
Take the following preventative measures, to keep ants away from your business.
Eliminate Food Sources
The first step to preventing an ant infestation is to eliminate access to food. Clean up spills and crumbs immediately, seal all leftover food in airtight containers, tightly seal garbage bins, and wipe down countertops and food prep areas with a disinfectant. Also, avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink.
Eliminate Water Sources
Take a walk around your home, remove any standing water, and repair plumbing leaks, especially in the bathroom and kitchen. If necessary, run a dehumidifier in humid areas or rooms to prevent moisture buildup.
Try Natural Deterrents
Table salt, cayenne or black pepper, turmeric powder or paprika, baking soda, white vinegar, and diatomaceous earth are some natural yet powerful repellants. Essential oils like peppermint and citrus oils can go a long way in keeping ants away.
Get Rid of Your Ant Problem Today!
Ant infestations are an unpleasant sight and are unhygienic for your clients. The infestation may even taint your reputation. Take some preventative measures to keep these pests from making their way inside your business in the first place.
If you are dealing with an infestation, give us a call, and our highly experienced team of pest control professionals will handle them for you!
