Tag Archives: new jersey ant removal

How Ants Get In and What Attracts Them

ants on a pile of dirty dishes

How Ants Enter Your Home and What Draws Them In

Ants are tiny insects, but they’re also resourceful and resilient ones that frequently cause headaches for New Jersey homeowners.

Life’s simple necessities of food, water, and shelter attract ants to a home. However, overlooked gaps and cracks can provide easy access points as well. Understanding how ants enter a home and what ants are attracted to can help you prevent infestations and call for professional help before the situation worsens.

Common Ant Entry Points

Ants can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks in a home, even ones that you can barely see. It’s common for homes to develop cracks around window frames, doors, and where walls meet the ceilings and floors. Ants have even easier access if you leave windows and doors open to let the fresh air inside.

Floors are common ant entry points since ants often live underground and can easily squeeze through the subflooring. Ants can also access your house through the gaps created to run utility lines and supply you with water, electricity, gas, internet, and cable TV.

It’s possible to accidentally carry ants in from the outdoors, especially if you’re coming in from a hike or live with kids or pets.

Steady and Reliable Food Sources

Like all living beings, ants need food to survive. But ants are especially drawn to sugary foods, such as honey, jelly, and syrup. Any crumbs you leave on your counters are enticing to ants, as are spills that you don’t clean up right away.

Meanwhile, pet food left out in bowls can attract ants. Trash bins that aren’t covered and sealed can also make you more prone to ant infestations.

Ample Moisture, Amplified by Weather

Water is also critical to ants’ survival, especially during hot and dry times of the year. Ants may be drawn to your home if you have leaky pipes or leave stagnant water standing inside or near your home. Ants can also find the moisture they need in damp basements and kitchen sinks filled with dishes soaking in water and covered in food residue.

Additionally, your houseplants may be attracting ants because of the humidity and sweet residues your plants provide.

Warm and Cozy Living Spaces

In the winter, ants frequently look for warm and cozy places to live in New Jersey. Your home can provide this type of safe and comfortable shelter, especially if you have clutter lying around.

After ants enter your home in search of warmth, they may gravitate toward storage boxes, piles of clothing, and collections of toys. Natural materials and debris outside your home, such as firewood, tree stumps, and rock piles, can also attract ants and lure them indoors.

How to Handle an Ant Infestation

When you first notice ants in your house, your first instinct might be to grab a can of commercial ant spray and kill the visible ones. However, DIY treatments typically only address the surface ants and not the hidden colonies that are the real source of the problem. Ant colonies multiply quickly, perhaps leading to a full-blown ant infestation ,while you are only targeting a small fraction of the ants living in your home.

For this reason, it’s best to call Precise Termite & Pest Control at the first signs of ant activity for a free inspection.

We’ll assess the extent of your ant situation, identify the ant species you have, and recommend a targeted solution.

How to Prevent Future Ant Infestations  

To keep your home ant-free and live comfortably with peace of mind, follow these ant prevention tips:

  • Keep all food in airtight containers
  • Promptly clean up spills
  • Ensure trash cans are tightly closed
  • Fix plumbing leaks
  • Seal cracks and gaps around your home
  • Keep the perimeter of your yard free of debris
  • Reduce clutter inside your house
  • Regularly inspect past problem areas for possible ant activity

For more ant extermination advice or to schedule your free ant inspection, please call us at 866-971-2847 or contact us online.

The Risks of Ignoring an Ant Infestation

Ant-infested room

Why You Should Never Ignore an Ant Infestation

Seeing just a few ants around your home might seem like a minor nuisance that will go away on its own. However, even a small ant infestation can rapidly escalate and become a widespread issue that can cause illness and strain your budget.

Precise Termite & Pest Control specializes in early detection and long-term prevention to help you proactively manage ants and live comfortably in your home.

Why an Ant Infestation in Your House is a Bigger Problem Than You Think

As trained experts in ant control, we’ve seen firsthand the damage ants can cause when homeowners neglect to address an infestation. Ant issues are complex because these insects multiply quickly once they find a steady food and water source, like your house.

The ants you visually notice are likely only part of the problem and a small fraction of the ants living on your property. It’s common to find considerably larger ant populations living behind walls, under floors, and building satellite nests throughout a home.

Are Ants Dangerous?

Many New Jersey residents wonder, “Is an ant infestation bad?” and exactly how bad is it?

Here’s how ants can put you and your home at risk.

Health Risks from Ants

Ants have the potential to contaminate human and pet food in your house. Ants travel through soil, garbage, and other unsanitary places before making their way onto your countertops and into your pantry.

Some people have allergic reactions to ants, while certain ant species can bite and sting. These injuries can be itchy, painful, and lead to open wounds that can allow harmful bacteria to enter your body.

Property Risks from Ants

Certain types of ants, such as carpenter ants, damage wood as they create nests. This behavior can cause structural damage to your home, such as weakening floors and support beams.

Signs You May Already Have a Problem

The early warning signs of an ant infestation include ant trails in kitchens, bathrooms, and around windows. Other red flags are piles of sawdust-like debris and wooden features that sound hollow.

You will often notice more ant activity in the summer months and after heavy rains. It’s also essential to learn what attracts ants and avoid these common pitfalls to prevent an infestation.

Why Professional Treatment is the Best Solution

You can start the ant control process with DIY sprays and traps to eliminate the visible ants. However, these approaches don’t address the many hidden ants that are actually fueling the infestation in your house.

The professional ant treatment we provide offers accurate ant species identification so we can pursue the best strategy. Once identified, we employ effective methods to eliminate visible ants and hidden nests that you may not even be aware of.

Why NJ Homeowners Choose Precise Pest Control

Precise has over 30 years of local pest control expertise and a fully licensed and insured extermination team to serve you.

Our exterminators are committed to your safety and well-being, with responsive and professional service you can rely on. We customize every ant infestation treatment plan and tailor our services to address your home’s unique needs.

Don’t Wait — Schedule Your Ant Inspection Today

Are ants dangerous? Is an ant infestation bad? The answer to these questions is yes, and the longer you ignore an ant infestation, the worse it will get.

At the first signs of ant activity, it’s best to call Precise to protect your health, property, and peace of mind.

Please call us at 866-971-2847 or contact us online to schedule your free ant inspection.

Preventing Ants in Your Home: Tips & Tricks from the Pros

ants clustering around baseboardsHow to Prevent Ants in Your House

Ants have an important role in nature, but they have no business being inside your house. Ants outnumber people by something like 2.5 million to one. But armed with knowledge, effective prevention tips, and a reliable exterminator on your side, you can overcome even the most problematic ant infestations.

Precise Termite & Pest Control is here to help you not only get rid of ants you already have in your house but also prevent them from coming back. From our expert extermination team, here are our best tips for controlling ants in your house.

Keep Your Home Clean

There’s nothing ants hate more than a clean, spotless home. One of the best ways to prevent ants is to keep your home clean at all times and occasionally deep-clean your house.

Avoid leaving out food and dirty dishes to deter ants. Also, wipe your stove, toaster, and other appliances clean so crumbs aren’t left behind. Rinse out recyclables before placing them in the bin, and keep your garbage lids on tightly to limit ant activity. Also, regularly vacuum, sweep or mop your floors to prevent ants.

Seal Gaps and Entryways

Ants are tiny insects capable of squeezing their way through the smallest gaps and cracks in a home. Look for ant trails and follow ants back to entry and exit points. You can seal up openings with silicone caulk, poster tack, paste, putty, or petroleum jelly.

Use Commercial Ant Deterrents

If you walk down the grocery or home improvement store aisles, you’ll find countless DIY projects to control ants. You can certainly try these products to kill existing ants you have in your home.

However, commercial ant sprays are not typically effective in deterring new ants from entering your home and replacing the ones you just killed. There’s also the risk of chemical exposure from harsh sprays, especially if you have kids or pets.

Try Natural Ant Control Alternatives

Alternatively, many natural ant control solutions eliminate the chemical risks and might help you keep an ant situation under control until professional help arrives. Some of the best natural ant remedies include lemons, peppermint, powdered chalk, and red and black pepper.

Learn About Odor Deterrents

There are certain smells that ants hate and that help keep them out of your home. For example, ants dislike garlic, peppermint, laurel, bay leaves, camphor, and lavender.

You can apply these substances as oils or leave them in their natural form as deterrents. It’s also helpful to grow mint and lavender plants near your home’s entryways to keep ants away.

Secure Your Pantry

Your kitchen pantry is an ideal place in your home for ants to invade, live, and destroy. Pantries are open sources of food and are especially attractive to ants seeking shelter from the cold outside during winter. Ensure that everything in your pantry is sealed in airtight containers, and wipe any sticky residue off those containers to avoid attracting ants.

Place Barriers Around Your Home

In addition to sprays, you can build barriers to keep ants out of favorite places like your kitchen. If you don’t already have ants in a space, you can create a barrier with a powdered cleanser or baby powder to keep them out. Other barriers to try include powdered charcoal, turmeric, cayenne pepper, Vaseline, and citrus oil.

Call Precise for Expert Help 

If you’ve tried one or more of these ant prevention strategies and are still struggling with an ant problem, it’s time to call Precise for help.

We specialize in ant control and removal in Northern New Jersey, and we provide free inspections, ant extermination, and ant prevention solutions. Please call us at 866-971-2847 to schedule your inspection and get rid of your ants once and for all.

If You Can’t Send Ants to Space, Then the Best Carpenter Ant Removal NJ Has To Offer Will Have To Do

Carpenter Ant Removal Bergen County

Ants are found almost everywhere on Earth except the continent that bears their name—ANTartica. Now, they can even be found in space, thanks to the scientists at NASA and a group of researchers from Stanford University who joined together to send ants up to the space station last year. The insects were sent as part of an experiment to see if ants could coordinate as well in space as they do on Earth. The ants started out in the corner of a box. After astronauts removed the barriers that kept them in the corner, the ants spread out and covered the environment in less than five minutes, despite not having a leader. This was not the first time ants have been in orbit. In 2003 they were launched on the Space Shuttle and perished with the astronauts on board when the structurally compromised shuttle burst into flames upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Ants in space were also a topic of an episode of The Simpsons in 1994. Continue reading →

Tips For Effective Ant Control New Jersey!

ant control Bergen County

The most effective ant control New Jersey has to offer comprises of a well-thought out plan of attack.  In addition, a common pest problem in the northeastern United States is an infestation of black carpenter ants. In the wilderness, they can be found in hollow timber, old logs and tree stumps. When unable to find a sufficient amount of food in the wilderness, they will migrate to homes. They are not attracted to dry, solid wood. What they seek is soft, moist woods that are rotting as well as insulation board and more. They are a real concern for homes built in very rural areas. Continue reading →

Ant Pest Control To Keep Your Home Pest Free This Holiday Season

bergen county pest control

The hustle and bustle of everyday life makes dealing with an issue such as pest control a major problem. During the holidays this problem can magnify all out of proportion, especially when baking and cooking meals for large gatherings is part of the celebration. You can clean and scrub, remove food and make sure every crumb is gone, spray and still have a problem. There is nothing worse than cooking food and having bugs in your kitchen. Knowing you’ve cleaned, sprayed, made sure all food is safely covered and unavailable seems to make the problem more irritating and a solution out of reach. The aggravation and lack of success can be very distressing for anyone who has an ant problem in their home. Fortunately this does not have to be a problem if you use professional pest control.

In New Jersey ant removal is a problem for some households. Doing it yourself may not solve the problem as ants can be very resistant when it comes to ant removal. While the problem may seem to abate for a day or two they can come back if you use the wrong product. Professionals know this and understand how to identify the type of ants you have as well as the best, most effective way to correct this problem so you no longer have ants.

Continue reading →