If you have ever had an ant problem around your home, then you understand what a relief it is to finally have them gone. But what happens if the ants keep coming back after spraying? This situation is more common than you might think, but there are effective ways to stop the cycle of infestation and live an ant-free lifestyle for good.

Here is some information about why ants keep coming back to your home and ant extermination strategies that work for the long-term.

The Original Colony Still Exists

One possible reason why ants keep coming back is that you didn’t kill all of them from your last infestation. Ants live in large groups, so if you only addressed them in one part of your home, they might still be thriving in a different area.

For example, if you only sprayed ants when you happened to see them, the rest of the colony might be staying more hidden and working on reproducing. The best way to tackle a colony of ants is often to place bait in numerous ant-prone area because ants will consume the bait and then take it back to the nest, where they will poison other ants living there too.

Attractive Spaces Are Still Around

If you didn’t follow the preventative instructions from your exterminator after the last time you had an ant problem, they might come back again. Ants look for food, water, and shelter to survive, so a new colony of ants could take up residence at your home if you are still providing those basic necessities.

To prevent the same type of ant problem from happening again, store food in airtight containers, clean up spills and crumbs regularly, and eliminate standing water from all areas of your home and yard. Things that commonly attract ants inside a home are moisture, clutter, food scraps, garbage, nature debris, and holes and cracks as entry points.

Your DIY Treatment Wasn’t Effective

Many people choose to take a DIY approach to ant control, which may be attractive as an affordable option but is often not effective in the long run. Different types of ants may require different types of treatment, which you might not realize unless you have been trained in professional extermination practices.

Meanwhile, Precise Termite & Pest Control offers expert solutions for ant issues that take into account the type of ants on your property, the extent of their presence, and what is attracting them the most. Killing ants upon contact simply isn’t good enough, but we can help you devise a better strategy for keeping them from coming back.

How to Keep Ants from Coming Back

At Precise Termite & Pest Control, we are dedicated to keep preventing from coming back by deploying the best extermination and prevention methods in the industry. We are your local ant extermination experts who understand the types of ants that cause problems in Bergen County and long-term strategies needed to keep them out in nature where they belong rather than around your house and yard.

To learn more about our ant control methods and for a free ant inspection, contact us today at 866-971-2847. Keeping ants away in Northern New Jersey is definitely possible with Precise Termite & Pest Control on your side.

Ants and humans have always coexisted in the world since the beginning of time, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with them when you have an infestation in your home. This article explores the relationship of ants vs. humans so that you can take control of the situation and live safely and happily in an ant-free zone.

Why Ants Enter Our Homes

Ants, like all creatures on our planet, need food to eat and a comfortable place to live. Ants are no exception to this rule and often find their way into human homes in search of nourishment and habitat. They are resilient insects that can survive in a wide range of conditions. Yet ants will take the easy way out if given the opportunity, which means even a tiny amount of pet food left out or crumbs left behind can draw in hundreds of ants very quickly.

Out in the yard, ants are especially active around utility boxes, yard debris, and dirt mounds. They are most commonly seen during the summer months in New Jersey but stay in our environment all throughout the year, even when they become less active to conserve energy in the winter.

How Ants Affect Humans

Although ants are tiny, their effect on humans can be quite great. When ants get into our personal spaces, they can contaminate our food supply and make us need to throw away grocery items or risk getting sick. Some ants have been known to bite humans when they come into close contact, which can cause pain and discomfort even though the bites are not usually very severe.

Some people are allergic to the venom of ant stings, which can cause swelling, itchiness, and even difficulty breathing. Having an ant infestation can also affect people’s mental health by making them feel paranoid about bugs crawling on them or embarrassed about inviting guests over to the house.

Ants can cause damage to a home by creating nests in wood that is moist and in hollow areas inside and around a home. Carpenter ants, in particular, are skilled at tunning through wood and causing damage to household structures and furniture. Ants can also be a source of food for other insects, which means that by simply having ants around your home, you could be drawing in other pests as well to further complicate matters.

Dangers of an Ant Infestation

Something else to know about ants is that they can multiply quickly, so just a few ants in your home could turn into a full-blown infestation in no time at all. There are DIY methods that you can try to deal with an ant problem, such as powdered chalk, lemon peels, peppermint, and red pepper. But if these strategies aren’t getting the job done, it is time to call Precise Termite & Pest Control for professional help.

We have been keeping Northern New Jersey free of ants for over 30 years and know how to target the types of ants that are common to our region. We deliver prompt and affordable pest control solutions so that you can rest easy and go about your days without worrying about ants.

To ask any questions about our ant control processes or to schedule your free inspection, please contact us online or call us at 866-971-2847.

Here in Northern New Jersey, you’ve probably seen ants crawling around at pretty much all times of day and most times of the year as well. But for ant control purposes and to prevent ant infestations, you may have wondered when ants are out and about the most with regard to times of day and seasons of the year.

In this article, we answer common ant questions, such as “Are ants nocturnal?” and “When are ants most active?” so that you can feel confident in your pest control solutions.

Are Ants Nocturnal?

There is no simple answer to this question because some types of ants are more active during the day, some at night, and some at both day and night. When ants are most active largely depends upon the climate they live in, how readily available food sources are, and where their nests are located. Ants that live in cold climates are more likely during the day because it is warmer and more comfortable then. In hot climates, ants tend to come out more at night when the temperatures aren’t so scorching hot.

Certain species of ants are also more prone to night activity vs. day activity. Carpenter ants, which are common in New Jersey, are a nocturnal ant species that typically leave their nests while humans are sleeping to go gather food. Yet many other ants that we have in our area are considered to be diurnal and are frequently seen throughout the day collecting food and defending themselves from predators.

Places Where Ants Are Especially Active

The place where you live and where you look may also impact your perception of ant activity on your property. Ants build nests both indoors and outdoors, and they are very skilled at finding entry points to access food and shelter. Common places for outdoor ant activity are piles of firewood, dirt mounds in yards, underneath yard debris, and around utility boxes.

Something else to be aware of is that ants have circadian rhythms just like humans do. But unlike humans, ants’ sleep patterns are not typically regulated by how much daylight they are exposed to each day. It is very likely that ants do not see any light for days because they are living underground in their tunnels. This is where ants spend most of their time, so they are quite comfortable with dark environments – whether that is the hours between sunset and sunrise or in those dark cracks and crevices in the corners of your home.

Times of Year for Increased Activity

In general, ants are most commonly seen during the summer months in New Jersey. During our long and cold winters, many ants will go into somewhat of a “hibernation mode” to conserve energy and resources. During the winter, ants are not actually sleeping all day. But they slow down their activity levels and are less likely to be seen by humans.

Take Control Over Your Ant Situation

No matter what time of day it is or what season it is, Precise Termite & Pest Control can help with your ant problem. Ant control and removal in Bergen County is one of our top specialties and something that we help so many residents with each and every year.

We know all the best strategies for getting rid of ants and know the best times to target them for safe, efficient, and humane removal. To learn more about how we can help with your ant infestation and to schedule your free inspection, contact us at 866-971-2847.

Many DIY-savvy homeowners invest in numerous ant control products, such as sprays, traps, and baits, in an attempt to handle ant infestations themselves. But did you know that many common items that you already have in your cupboards and pantry are effective in fighting ants as well?

This article explores the various household ingredients that deter ants and what to do when these DIY approaches aren’t enough to handle an ant infestation.

Vinegar

A tip for how to kill ants in the kitchen is to mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and then spray it directly onto ants when you see them. Vinegar is also useful for deterring ants from areas where they typically come into a home, such as doorways and windowsills.

Chalk

Chalk is made from calcium carbonate, which ants strongly dislike. Ordinary sticks of chalk can be used around the bases of counters and tables so that ants don’t climb up from the ground onto higher surfaces. However, you will need to apply chalk regularly to get the ant-repellent effects since it wipes off easily with normal household activity.

Dish Soap

Killing fire ants with dawn dish soap is a common at-home remedy for ant problems and works well with ingredients you likely already have at home. Mix one part dish soap with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray it directly onto ants to kill them. You may need to do this for several days in a row until the entire colony is dead.

Borax

Borax is commonly used in cleaning products and is lethal to ants. You can mix borax with water and confectioner’s sugar to create a paste that you put in containers near ant entry points. Worker ants will carry the sweet (yet toxic-to-them) substance back to their nests and be poisoned.

Citrus

Ants also hate citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits. You can put the juice of citrus fruits into a spray bottle to spray on door jams and window sills. Another idea is to puree orange peels with a bit of water and rub the mixture on these areas of a home to deter ants.

Coffee

Coffee grounds work well as an ant-repellant because ants don’t like the smell of coffee or the feeling of the grounds on their feet. Try sprinkling coffee grounds around your plants both inside and outside to keep pesky ants away.

When Household Items Aren’t Enough

While these natural, at-home remedies are certainly worth a try, they aren’t always the fastest, easiest, or most effective ways to get rid of ants. This is especially true if you have a widespread ant infestation that spans multiple areas of your home and property.

The best way to get ants out of your life is to call Precise Termite & Pest Control for a free and professional inspection. We know all of the best tips and tricks for exterminating ants and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our services. Residents of Bergen and Passaic counties trust us whenever they have ant problems of any type or size, so call us at 866-971-2847 or contact us online.

Ants typically build nests outdoors and spend the bulk of their time outside in their natural habitat. However, they can also be enticed to come into a home if they find an easy entrance and a food source.

To help you prevent house ants and keep them away, here is some information about what attracts ants in a house.

Types of Ants in House  

Many different types of ants are common in our area and known to seek shelter indoors in certain circumstances. House ants that we are often called out to identify and exterminate include pavement ants, carpenter ants, odorous house ants, thief ants, acrobat ants, and pharaoh ants. This last type, pharaoh ants, are especially known for being very difficult to control if they get indoors. Even fire ants can get inside a house and cause major issues because they bite and sting people and pets.

When Are House Ants a Problem?

Ants in a house are a problem at any time of the year, but we notice the biggest issues during the warm summer months. This is because ants, like many types of insects, are most active in the summer. They often come indoors in search of water and through doors and windows that you leave open to let the fresh air inside.

The Issue of Moisture Around a House

Moisture is one of the biggest things that attract ants inside a home. Ants need water to survive and will look to household sources of water during the dry summer months, especially in places experiencing a drought or where it hasn’t rained in a while. Although you can’t control the weather, you can control lakes around your house. Check pipes and water sources around your house, as well as the roof, to ensure there is no standing moisture to attract ants.

Holes and Cracks as Entry Points

Ants are tiny creatures that are able to squeeze through places you might not expect them to be. One of the best things you can do to prevent ants is to seal up any holes, cracks, and gaps in the exterior of your home. Also, seal up locations where wires and pipes enter your house to close off potential entry points.

Debris and Clutter Around the House

Something else that attracts is debris and clutter left outside and around your house because these make great ant habitats. Remove rock piles, wooden boards, tree stumps, firewood, and fallen logs from the areas close to your house to deter ant activity.

How to Get Rid of Ants Inside the House

If you have noticed ants inside your house, now is the time to call Precise Termite & Pest Control for help. We are highly experienced with ant control and removal for all of the types of ants that get inside homes in Northern New Jersey. We offer free inspections to assess your ant problem, so call us today at 866-971-2847.