In the past, we’ve provided valuable tips for keeping your home pest-free. Preventative measures are crucial for home health but not all treatments are created equal. When it comes to ant infestations—especially Carpenter Ants—DIY ant treatments don’t work. Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut residents like those living in Springfield, Agawam, and Enfield will find this useful as the summer ant season arrives.
The Problem with DIY Ant Treatments
There are so many choices when it comes to do-it-yourself ant treatments and the results can vary widely. Small intrusions into your home can possibly be thwarted using over-the-counter ant baits. However, using ant baits for an established infestation will usually not rid your home of an ant infestation.
Ant baits work by posing as food that the ants then carry back to the colony. The bait is shared among the nestmates and poisons the colony from within. As stated before, the effectiveness can vary depending on the ant species, colony size, bait placement, and quality of the ant bait chosen.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Integrated Pest Management has many advantages over DIY ant treatment. Its primary goal is a long term solution with a short term, minimal reliance on the use of pesticides. IPM as a practice has three major parts.
IPM’s first step involves inspection. Ants in your home office represent a small fraction of the ants in the colony. A professional will find the source of the ants and what environmental issues may be helping to sustain the colony. For example, this might include water-saturated wood in support beams in your basement or leaky gutters along your roofline. These are prime colony locations for Carpenter Ants.
The second step of IPM involves identification. This is one of the most important reasons for hiring a professional. Our pros have extensive training of pest identification—Glenn is a certified Entomologist. Different pests can have radically different treatment methods.
This brings us to the step of IPM: treatment. A common misconception about treatment is that we spray a pesticide and are done. With IPM, treatment is holistic. This may include recommended sealing of cracks, structural modifications such as removing rotted wood or eliminating sources of water. With IPM, treatment is personalized to your home or workplace.
The final step is the strategic application of pesticides to minimize their need and maximize their effectiveness, yielding a pest-free home and workplace. Click the button below to see how ants invade your home:
Download Our Guide to Ants in Your Home
The team at Graduate Pest Solutions specializes in IPM. Call us at 413-566-8222 or contact us with any questions or if you are experiencing a pest problem. We have the knowledge and service necessary to help keep your home and workplace pest-free!
