Spring is an exciting season for a lot of people for many reasons. The warm weather and bright sky make it fun to hang out with family and friends again, after months of enduring winter. But spring also comes with ants, and no one likes ants.
These tiny pests cause nuisance wherever they are, whether it’s inside your home, your kitchen, or on your patio. They also feed on your food and contaminate it.
When is Ant Season in Houston?
Houston exhibits a beautiful climate and landscape during spring, which makes it attractive to people from all angles. But humans are not the only ones that enjoy spring in Houston; ants do too.
Although ants are present in Houston all year long, they are most active during the warmer months between March and October.
From late February to mid-March, ants begin to wake up from hibernation, and they are active all through the warm season.
What Types of Ants are Common in Houston?
There are different types of ants in Houston that can invade your home, and they include the following:
Carpenter Ants
These ants got their name from their wood-eating habit. They feed primarily on wood and create their colonies around wooden structures. You can find them around decayed wood, wet areas, and even healthy wood.
Odorous House Ants
These ants are also known as sugar ants because of their love for sweet food like honey, sugar, or glucose. They are often found in the soil and close to foundation walls. They are usually dark brown or black in color, and they have a coconut smell when crushed.
Fire Ants
Unlike other ants, Fire ants do bite when disturbed. Their bites can cause a burning sensation and leave large welts on their victims. They build their nest in sandy mounds and can be found in large colonies.
Rover Ants
These ants are very small and uniform in size. They range from black to dark brown and don’t sting. Rover ants build their nests in potted plants and wall holes, but they can also be found in the soil or rotten wood.
What Attracts Ants to Homes in Houston?
As you prepare your Houston home against ant season, it is essential to know what attracts these tiny creatures into your home and how to avoid them. Ants are primarily attracted to food; hence you can find them wherever there is food or anything edible.
Some things that can attract ants into your home include the following:
Spilled or Exposed Food
Leaving food items in your house carelessly, especially sweet food such as syrup, honey, cookies, and jelly, is one sure way to attract ants into your home.
Water Spots
Just like you, ants need water too. They are attracted to any source of water, such as leaking pipes, faucets, and holes. You can also find ants in wet places like bathroom tiles and stagnant water.
Plants and Flowers
Plants and flowers with sweet fragrances are a natural habitat for ants and other insects. Ants are also attracted to the moisture in your potted plants and flowers.
Safe Space
Ants don’t just build their nests in gardens and porches; they also look for safe spaces in your home to build their nest. Carpenter ants build their nests in woods, while other ants, like pavement ants and odorous ants, build their nest inside small cracks in walls, cupboards, and behind the baseboards.
How Can You Prevent Ants From Your Home?
As you prepare for spring, it is essential to prepare your home against ants by blocking any entry space and clearing everything that can attract ants into your home.
Don’t leave dishes in the kitchen for too long, and ensure to keep your pet’s food and plate properly. Seal every entry point and crevice in your wall, door posts, and window.
Remove all debris and dirt from your surroundings and keep your bin area clean. Eliminate all standing water from your home and surrounding and clean your foundation wall.
If your home is infested by ants or you are at risk of an infestation, you should consider hiring a Houston ant control company to help eliminate and prevent ants from your home.
Professional Ant Control in Houston
If you are dealing with an ant infestation in your Houston home, DIY pest control might not be enough to stop the spread. You need a professional ant pest control service like Hartz Pest Control.
Hartz Pest Control provides affordable and effective ant control services to completely eliminate ants from your residential or commercial property.
For inquiries about their services, contact Hartz Pest Control at 713-461-4866 or visit their website.
