There are several pests you could come across in your home or on your property here in Columbus. One of the most common pests in the area are ants. If you have come across ants somewhere on your Columbus property before, there is a good chance they were pavement ants. Pavement ants like to build their nests in cracks on pavement, under stones, and in crevices next to buildings. Given their proximity to homes, pavement ants frequently get inside, where they turn into nuisance pests. After all. Nobody wants to find ants in their home. You need to know the steps you can take to lower your exposure to these unwanted ants. Furthermore, should your home become infested, you need to know the effective ant control solutions you can count on to get rid of them.

What Do Pavement Ants Look Like?

Pavement ants are smaller ants that typically grow to be about 1/8th of an inch long. They can be dark brown or black in color. Like all ants, pavement ants have segmented bodies, six legs, antennae, and mandibles.

While outside, you can identify pavement ants by where their nest is located. As stated, pavement ants will usually build their nests in crevices next to buildings, under stones, or in pavement cracks (from where they get their name). As such, you might find them on the driveway, walkways, or paths around your home.

When they come into homes, pavement ants can usually be found in structural stone walls on the ground level, although you might also find them in wall voids, insulation, or underneath floorboards.

Are Pavement Ants Dangerous?

Although they are common home invaders, pavement ants are not considered to be dangerous pests. As such, they are classified simply as nuisance pests. However, a pavement ant infestation does not come without its drawbacks. For instance, pavement ants tend to invade in large numbers. This can make getting rid of them quite challenging as their nests become so large that they are difficult to contain. Furthermore, while they don’t spread diseases, pavement ants have been known to get into kitchens and pantries where they can contaminate food products that need to be replaced.

Pavement Ant Prevention Tips

To keep pavement ants away from your property and out of your Columbus home, you need to remove any factors that might attract them. This includes food sources, water sources, and places in which they can build their nests. Furthermore, you should also seal off any potential entry points through which they might gain access to your home. To accomplish these, you should:

Eliminate areas of standing water around your home.
Fill in cracks in the driveway and other walkways around your home.
Keep woodpiles stored away from your home’s exterior.
Trim back tree branches from the exterior of your home.
Seal cracks in your home’s foundation.
Install door sweeps under exterior doors.
Store trash in bins with tight-fitting lids and take out the trash regularly.
Keep counters and floors free of food debris and clean up spills promptly.
Store food in airtight containers or the fridge.

What To Do If Pavement Ants Infest Your Property

If you do find yourself dealing with pavement ants in or around your Columbus home, contact the professionals here at 1st Response Pest Management right away for assistance. Not only will we effectively eliminate any ant infestation with which you are dealing, but with our ongoing service plans, we will ensure your property remains pest-free all year long. No one wants ants living in their home. Give us a call today so that we can take care of the problem for you.