Because of their diminutive size, you may not always be able to see ants in your home or business. However, any of these signs can indicate a potential ant problem:
- Small mounds of dirt (ant hills) around your property
- Insect wings on the floor or window sills
- Rustling sounds in the walls
- Trails of sawdust across the floor (carpenter ants)
Spraying for ants with an off-the-shelf product or using home remedies like black pepper, peppermint or white vinegar may repel ants — but only temporarily. It’s better to call a professional ant exterminator to provide a permanent solution.
Effective Ant Control Solutions
Barefoot Mosquito & Pest Control can help you get rid of pesky ants and keep them from reentering your home or commercial property. We are proud to provide expert ant control around Austin, Houston and San Antonio, helping property owners maintain a pest-free environment. We can implement a healthier approach to ant control that will deliver a reliable long-term solution.
While the process can vary depending on factors such as the ant species and the level of infestation, our general approach to pest control for ants consists of these steps:
- Establishing a foundation that kills ants before they can enter your home
- Protecting the most vulnerable areas
- Applying a granulation treatment to keep your lawn and garden beds free of ants
- Physically removing ant hills and mounds
- Implementing a perimeter treatment around your home
Common Ant Species in Houston, Austin and San Antonio
As an experienced ant exterminator in Houston, Austin and San Antonio, and beyond, we are familiar with all the different species found in these areas and know what it takes to keep them away from your property. Some of the most common ant species we deal with include:
- Acrobat ants: Acrobat ants are the most common species throughout the Texas areas we serve. These small, dark-brown ants are known for their quick movements and are mostly active during the day. They raise their abdomen above their heads when threatened and can give off an unpleasant smell.
- Carpenter ants: These ants are typically large and have a brown, solid black or dark reddish color. Since carpenter ants consume wood, an infestation of this particular species can cause extensive damage to the structure of your home or business.
- Fire ants: Fire ants are known for being aggressive and having a vigorous, painful sting that causes a burning or itching sensation. When these reddish-brown ants invade your property, they build mounds around the lawn to nest in and only enter the home when searching for food.
- Pharaoh ants: Another common species in these Texas areas is the Pharaoh ants. They are tiny and invasive, known to live and nest indoors. These yellowish pests with dark abdomens can be found nesting in dark and narrow places around the home, like wall voids, electrical boxes or beneath floors.