Signs You May Have an Ant Problem

The presence of ants is not necessarily an ant problem, and it may not call for an ant exterminator in Crystal Lake; ants can actually be very helpful when it comes to cleansing your soil of debris and insect eggs. While these helpful ants may be fine to leave alone, you may encounter other instances where you are forced to deal with a real ant problem that should be addressed by a professional pest control service. Here is a quick look at a few signs that you may have an ant problem.

Plant Damage

Ants may feed on all sorts of food materials including seeds, small animals, and vegetables. If you have a garden that you are proud of and enjoy tending to, an abundance of ants can eventually pose a problem for your growth. Not only will they feed on your vegetables, flowers, and other growth, they will also protect insects that contribute to the destruction of your plants. Certain plant pests excrete honeydew as they feed, which the ants then feed on themselves. Ants are also capable of accidentally spreading plant diseases throughout your garden. Pines, corn, and strawberries are particularly susceptible to becoming damaged.

Loose Soil

A finely manicured lawn can lose some of its visual appeals if it is dotted with mounds of loose soil. Ants continually create tunnels throughout their nests as well as small mounds to cover them. This can cause the roots of your vegetables or flowers to be exposed to air, which can lead to plant death if too many roots are affected. A serious ant problem may even impact the structural integrity of certain stone structures by hollowing out their soil foundations.

Swarms

When ants grow their nests to the point of overflowing they swarm together to move to a new home, and a swarm of ants will not improve the aesthetic appeal of your garden. Ants will also swarm together to protect pests that excrete honeydew, which will also inherently sabotage the look of your garden. Call a pest control professional if you think you may have an ant problem.

Professional Ant Control in Northern Illinois and Southeastern Wisconsin

Schopen Pest Solutions will make your house pest-free! For experienced and professional ant exterminators call 815-385-9511.