An ant infestation in your home? Yuck! We know how it goes. We help clients rid their home of invasive ants every day. Sugar ants are one of the most common pests in the Milwaukee area. Though they are known by many names, including the coconut ant and odorous house ant (due to the odor they emit when they are crushed), the sugar ant is their most typical moniker, based on their instinctive drive to consume sugary carbohydrates. 

Give these pests access to food, water, and shelter, and you’ve got a big problem on your hands in a very short amount of time. With that in mind, one of the first questions we are asked by clients is, “How do I get rid of these ants?” Until we’ve had the opportunity to explain to homeowners how these ants grow their colonies, their understandable hope is that they can run to the store to buy an off-the-shelf product, spray it on the assumed problem area, and then move on with their lives. Unfortunately, it’s not usually so simple. 

Can I treat sugar ants on my own?

Most sprays provide a temporary relief for those insects that are making direct contact with the product. However, the extermination product is not making its way back to the heart of the colony. Those worker ants that are affected by the superficial application will die, so it will appear that you are garnering results, but the queen, the larvae, remaining workers, and the males back in the nest will remain unaffected by this treatment style, and the colony will continue to grow and thrive. 

What’s more, many colonies, if left untreated for long periods of time, can grow into multiple nesting sites being managed by several queens. Without multiple professional treatments over a series of potential weeks, this sugar ant infestation will most assuredly expand. With that being said, there are still other ways in which you as a homeowner can help reduce the chance of an infestation. 

At-home methods for preventing sugar ants

While it is important to seek professional treatment for pests like sugar ants, there are some relatively simple steps you can take to help prevent them from returning. Remember, it’s food, water, and shelter that these creatures are looking for. If we can reduce their access to these resources, then we can more effectively get rid of these pests for good.

• Regularly check for ant entry points, including leaks, cracks, and broken window or door seals — Sugar ants are extremely small, and it only takes a very narrow opening for them to gain access to the home
• Remove any standing water from your property — Standing water is a breeding ground for sugar ants and many other nuisance pests. Removing the water is removing a resource that makes your property more desirable to these creatures.
• Keep your kitchen clean of food debris — Sugar ants have very powerful receptors on their antennae that detect sugars. If they’ve gained access to the home and find that there are crumbs or other accessible food waste, then they’ll likely signal to other ants that your home is a reliable source of food. Even worse, they’ll eventually move on from food waste to invading your food storage! 
• Be watchful of areas in the home that are prone to moisture —  Kitchens, laundry rooms, utility sinks, and even dishwashers can be breeding grounds for sugar ants. Dishwashers can present a double benefit to sugar ants, as when they’re unwashed, they contain food waste, and otherwise the warmth and the moisture are generally desirable to these creatures.  

Why sugar ants require professional grade service

So what’s a better solution for a sugar ant infestation? Professional grade service from an experienced team who knows how to effectively administer a professional grade product. At Aspen Pest Control, we know exactly where to apply our expertise and our professional grade extermination products — and how often to apply them, ensuring that you’ll have a delightful experience with our services. 

It all starts with your initial consultation. As a standard, we offer free — that’s right, free — home consultations for your pest control concerns. These consultations and inspections are free of charge and free of hassle. We train our representatives to listen to your concerns, thoroughly inspect your property, the exterior of your home, and, if you’re comfortable with it, the interior of your home, as well. We’ll always provide our best recommendations for treatment, and the rest is up to you. 

The Aspen Pest Control Home Protection Plan

In an effort to provide Milwaukee homeowners the best in pest control, we offer our clients the Aspen Pest Control Home Protection Plan: a year-long, quarterly treatment approach that is designed to address the pests you have while preventatively treating for future infestations. It’s so effective that 90% of our new customers choose the Home Protection Plan, including those who have faced sugar ant infestations.    

What is one of the added benefits of the Home Protection Plan? If you see a pest outbreak occur between your quarterly treatment appointments, we’ll come back to your home free-of-charge for as many times as it takes to fully eradicate those pests we’re treating for.

Our professionals are dedicated to your satisfaction

In many cases, we can provide service within 2-3 business days and the Aspen team is guaranteed to be punctual, professional, thorough, and effective in their work. Every technician on our team is licensed, bonded, insured, local, and dedicated to providing you the best possible extermination service available. 

When we apply our eco-, kid-, and pet-friendly commercial grade extermination products for sugar ants, we use a non-repellent product that they are unable to detect. They’ll unknowingly take this agent back to the heart of their colony and consume the product through grooming — both themselves and each other — eventually breaking the egg cycle and causing the colony to die off. 

Through ongoing observation, we can track the progress of the colony’s termination, and apply additional treatments if needed. This is all part of our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. We don’t simply provide a single treatment and split. Our aim is to help you rid your home and lives of pests, so that’s precisely what we do for you when you’re a client. Aspen equals results.

If you have concerns about a sugar ant infestation, then it’s time you contacted Aspen Pest Control. Our team is dedicated to your unique situation and needs and can provide you with thorough, effective service.
CALL ASPEN PEST CONTROL TODAY!