Author: Kurt Treftz, Cascade Pest Control
While Seattle temperatures are seemingly cold enough to force pests and insects into hibernation during winter, some home and business owners still struggle with ants in winter – appearing inside during this season.
This may seem like a small, inconsequential scenario, but ant activity in winter possibly signals a dangerous lapse in your home or business’ ant control service. Colonies inside your home can get out hand fast, so it is important to understand and be aware of when and where you observe ants inside.
Ant Control Techniques for Winter Season Protection
Like most pests and insects, almost all ant species hibernate and go dormant when colder weather sets in. The only reason they would remain active is if their colony happened to be nested in a more protected space that wasn’t affected by winter conditions.
If you are experiencing ant control issues in the summer, you are most likely seeing foraging ants sent out by the external main colony to scavenge for food. This changes context in the winter, however, as any external colonies will be dormant, leaving the reality that you now have an ant colony nested within your home or business.
Internal colonies can cause many issues, as a large enough infestation of a species like the carpenter ant can cause major damage to your building structure. Nests in your walls or floors pose safety hazards in concert with the health risks involved if you find them in your pantry or kitchen. If you have an issue with carpenter ants in the winter, it’s because they are warm and active.
Killing visible ants you see on the spot will only temporarily solve your problem. If ants persist during winter months, it would be in your best interest to call in professional ant pest control experts to evaluate, identify, and exclude the source of your ant control problem.
To help aid the professionals’ process and get the most out of their service, there are some basic ant control practices you can implement:
- Vacuum and clean floors and counter-tops regularly.
- Make note of recurring places or areas of your space in which ants appear.
- Ensure pantry items or any loose food is properly sealed and stored.
- Seal up, or be aware of, any gaps or cracks around windows or floorboards that might allow ants access to the main part of your space.
- Don’t leave out food on the counter or pet food except during meal or prep times.
Keep Ants Out in Winter with Cascade Pest Control
Cascade has been a trusted community partner for over 42 years now. Our expertly trained technicians and staff are dedicated to providing you high quality and effective service to meet all of your rodent and pest control needs.
Regardless of the season, we are happy to come out and evaluate your home or business for a variety of pest and rodent vulnerabilities. Particularly in the Puget Sound region, we help keep ants at bay during the winter with our inspection and exclusion services. Preventative pest control is our specialty, so our technicians are well equipped to address the internal and external concerns of your structure in order to safeguard against any pest or rodent.
Call 888-989-8979 today to request a quote for Ant Pest Control services in Seattle, Redmond, Kirkland, Tacoma, Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, and the surrounding Puget Sound region!