Your Guide to Ant Control in Oklahoma City

After a rainy summer, in which Oklahoma City broke records with days that saw nearly ten inches of rainfall, you may notice more ants in your home. This is because heavy rain tends to drown out ant nests, causing them to seek shelter elsewhere. Once they realize how easy it is to access food in your kitchen, it may be harder to get them to go back outside. Mosquito Squad is here to help you manage ant infestations in your home so that you can get your kitchen back.

Common Ant Species Found Around Oklahoma City

There are several species of ant that you may find in your home in Oklahoma City.

• Odorous House Ants are small, dark brown or black ants known for emitting a rotten coconut-like smell when crushed. They invade homes in search of sweets and greasy foods and tend to form large colonies.
• Acrobat Ants have a distinctive heart-shaped abdomen and are known to nest in decaying wood or insulation. This may cause structural damage.
• Thief Ants are tiny, pale yellow ants that often nest near other ant colonies, from which they steal food and larvae.
• Carpenter Ants, larger than most species, are typically black or red and black. They don’t eat wood but burrow through it to create nests, which can cause significant damage to wooden structures.

These are not the only kinds of ants you might notice, but they’re some of the most common. Each species can contaminate food, damage property, and otherwise cause a nuisance when they get inside your home or if their colonies grow too large.

Why Ants Invade Homes

There are three primary reasons ants invade homes: food, water, and shelter. Their search for these three things becomes more of an issue for us and the rest of the ecosystem when the weather is more unpredictable. For example, the combined heat and heavy rainfall of summer in Oklahoma may drive ants indoors where conditions are more stable.

Food is the biggest attraction for ants. Even tiny crumbs, spills, or improperly sealed food containers can lead them to enter your home. Once inside, ants release pheromones to signal others, which escalates a minor intrusion into a full-blown infestation.

Moisture sources such as leaky pipes, damp wood, or pet water bowls also attract ants, especially species like carpenter ants, which prefer nesting in damp or decaying wood. Ants can use small cracks, gaps in windows or doors, or even utility lines as entry points.

Ant Prevention

There are steps you can take at home to prevent a future infestation from occurring. Start by sealing any cracks or gaps around windows, doors, and foundations, as ants can use even the smallest openings to gain entry. In that vein, you should also regularly inspect and repair damaged screens and make sure to line doors that lead to the outdoors with weather stripping.

Another crucial step is to maintain as clean an environment as possible: wipe down surfaces, clean up spills immediately, and store food in airtight containers to minimize potential food sources. Trash cans and pet food bowls may also attract ants, so empty those frequently.

It’s also important to reduce unnecessary moisture. You can do this by promptly fixing leaky pipes and removing standing water around the home. Outside, you should trim back vegetation and keep mulch and firewood away from the house foundation.

Ant Control

Sometimes, even the best prevention may not be enough to stop an ant infestation from occurring. In these cases, you’ll need something powerful to help you manage large swarms of ants. Mosquito Squad’s ant control solutions are the answer! Because ant colonies may be hard to detect if they’ve taken up residence in your walls or foundation, our trained technicians will conduct a thorough inspection of your home to locate nests and entry points. Then, they’ll target those areas with the treatment, cutting off the ant lifecycle and making future outbreaks less likely.

Choose Mosquito Squad for Exceptional Ant Control

Our treatments are highly effective and have been proven to reduce pest populations within 21 days. Each treatment is delivered with a customer-centric approach and is backed by our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee (terms and conditions apply). Interested? Get your free quote today when you call (405) 792-0230 or contact us online!