Most residents and visitors of Greenville, South Carolina love the climate. While South Carolina does experience all four seasons, the winters are extremely mild – which can have some disadvantages. In the mild temperatures of South Carolina, ants are active all throughout the year with no dormant period like other states will experience due to cold temperatures. The four most common ants in South Carolina include carpenter ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants.
Carpenter ants don’t eat wood like termites, but they do hollow it out in order to build nests inside. The damages caused to homes by carpenter ants is less than that of termites, but over several years a colony of carpenter ants can cause extensive wood damage.
Fire ants sting humans and pets with painful, burning stings that can be felt for up to an hour. If you have the unfortunate experience of having multiple fire ants on your body and multiple stings, your body will have the sensation of being on fire.
Odorous house ants are a nuisance pest that invade homes in large numbers. You don’t have to worry about them transmitting diseases or biting you, but odorous house ants will look everywhere for sugary foods and get into your pantry.
Pavement ants aren’t normally known to cause structural damages to homes, but when they build their nests under your slab foundation or a window bay, there is a potential for excavating enough dirt to cause problems.
Avoiding an ant infestation in your home begins with preventing them from getting inside in the first place! Here are some do-it-yourself tips for preventing ants:
- Use caulk to seal the space around doors, windows, and cracks in the foundation
- Use vinegar and water to clean surfaces in your home, especially in the kitchen
- Spray a mixture of lemon and water where you see ants crawling, to eliminate their scent trail
- Sprinkle used coffee grounds around the perimeter of your home
With the mild climate of South Carolina and the less than reliable nature of DIY ant control, the best way to prevent pests from becoming a nuisance in your home is through year-round pest control services. Spencer Pest Services offers several plans for residential homes that eliminate and prevent the most common pests of every season, including carpenter ants, fire ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants, to give you complete peace of mind.
