With the introduction of spring and summer comes the annoying activity of unwelcome guests – ants inside your home or cottage. Not only can annoying ants ruin an outdoor event, they can also undermine the structural integrity of your building, making their presence a real concern. While removing them is often the work of a licensed pest control professional, we always like to offer some helpful advice for you to discourage their attendance at your location!
Here are 5 simple tips for keeping annoying ants at bay:
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Eliminate or Control Ant Food Sources
Ants are attracted to the residue from human and pet food. A simple but effective technique to reduce unwanted ants in your home or cottage is to wipe down your counters, remove crumbs and debris and ensure you store food is stored in tightly sealed containers. Pick up your pet food dish and be sure to wash it often. Clean containers before disposing in the recycling bin and always wipe up spills while wiping down your stove. Don’t forget the BBQ shelf where you set down the greasy flipper last night either.
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Clean up wood debris.
Most ants are attracted to wood debris and rotting wood. This is especially a concern at the cottage where you may have some older lumber or firewood stacked nearby. Now’s the perfect time to clear out that debris and encourage annoying ants to head to the woods where they’ll find lots of rotting wood.
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Seal up cracks.
A little caulking can go a long way. While it may be difficult to eliminate all entry points, sealing up the obvious cracks along windows, doorways, etc.., makes it more difficult for ants to penetrate your cottage or home. Don’t forget access points for electrical, TV or your phone cable! This will serve the added benefit of reducing your heating bill, so summer is the right time to undertake a little preventive maintenance.
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Fix leaky faucets or shower heads.
Ants seek water as well as food so it’s added incentive to fix that dripping faucet or showerhead. Often wonder why you see them in the sink or trap…now you know why.
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Call in a Professional.
At Miller Pest Control, we have the experience to identify the type of ant, and the tools and expertise to resolve it. After all, we’ve been serving cottagers and homeowners for over 30 years and are the Peterborough area’s largest and most experienced pest control company. Our staff are fully licensed and equipped to get rid of your home and cottage pest control problems. We offer annual pest control programs that are not only effective but affordable. Whether its ants, spiders, mice, squirrels, or other flying/crawling pests, we’re only a phone call away.