Ant Control & Exterminator in Alexandria VA

Ant Removal Services in

Alexandria VA

Environmental Pest Control is an ant control and ant exterminator company in

Alexandria VA

. No matter your ant infestation - carpenter ants, flying ants, black ants, pavement ants, etc... You have come to the right place. Environmental Pest Control is a professional ant exterminator that has the experience and solutions you need to permanently remove ants from your home. Don't delay, the approach of spring and summer in the Mid-Atlantic area assures warm weather is on the way and that is when ants will come up from their slumber, below ground, to invade your home. Ant infestations are best controlled, by a quarterly pest control plan, before they begin so call us today to ensure you are prepared this year!

How to Get Rid of Ants in

Alexandria VA

Getting rid of ants in the house is performed by our highly trained pest technicians using their experience and pest control products. The best way to get rid of ants uses a combination of ant baits, ant sprays, granules, and seal up services. We are quickly able to get rid of your ant infestation! Creating a barrier with a quarterly pest control program is always the best way to protect your home from ants.

How to Prevent Ants in Your

Alexandria VA

House

Ants are the most common nuisance pest for homeowners in

Alexandria VA

. There are more than 20 types of ants that can and will invade your home. Here are some steps on preventing ants from coming into your home:

Know Where to Look. Ants love moisture. The most common place ant infestations occur are in the kitchen. Other common areas are basements, inside walls, and bathrooms.

Eliminate Moisture. Removing standing water around your home will help eliminate the perfect environment for ants. Make sure your gutters and downspouts all work well and that there are no clogs. Make sure all water flows away from your foundation. If you have high moisture or high humidity in your basement, crawl space or attic, consider installing a dehumidifier in the summer time to remove moisture.

Eliminate Food Sources. Keep your kitchen (remember this is the most common place ants invade) and pantry clean by making sure food is put away and the floor is vacuumed to remove food crumbs. Make sure food is stored in air tight containers.

Seal Access Points. Inspect your home for cracks and gaps, particularly around windows and doors. Old and deteriorating caulk should be removed and re-caulked. Make sure thresholds on exterior doors are in good working order. Trim back bushes, trees, and shrubs so they are not touching your home.

Hire a Professional. If you are still having an ant problem after these DIY recommendations, it is time to hire a professional ant exterminator. Professional exterminator’s have access to highly effective ant removal products that home owners do not and can quickly get bad ant infestations in your home under control.

Flying Ants in

Alexandria VA

It is common to mistake flying ants for termites. This happens every spring and summer in our area. To understand the differences we need to examine their wings. Flying ants wings are longer in the front, shorter in the back, and their wings are proportionate to their body. Termite wings are the same length in the front and the back and are twice the length of their body.

Signs of an Ant Infestation in

Alexandria VA

Seeing ants inside your home is never a welcomed sight. Ant infestations are the most common pest intrusion that home owners deal with. Ants get into your home for a variety of reasons such as shelter, food, moisture (they love water and moisture). Once a home owner has an ant infestation, it is very difficult to get rid of with DIY methods and almost always need to bring in the expertise of an exterminator. The best way to protect your home is to have a quarterly pest control program in place with a reputable ant exterminator company. Our quarterly program includes protection against all types of ants. Signs that you have an ant infestation, and require the help of a professional, include the following: 1) Live Ants - seeing multiple ants inside your home is a sure sign there are many more and you have an issue 2) Ant Trail - seeing a very defined trail of ants coming and going inside your home means the entire colony is alerted to something "good" inside your home and you need help ASAP 3) Food - If you have ants attacking your food, especially around and below the kitchen table, you have an ant problem 4) Wood Shavings - some ants, such as Carpenter Ants, burrow holes in the wood in your home and leave behind wood shavings as a sign you have a ant problem

Types of Ants in

Alexandria VA

1) Acrobat Ants - Acrobat ants are light brown to black in color. They are relatively small, usually measuring about 1/8” (3.2 mm) in length. Queens, however, are generally larger but can range in size up to 3/8” (10 mm) long.

2) Argentine Ants - Argentine ants are very ordinary-looking, small brown ants. They are small and slender, 2.6 to 3.2mm long, and are dark brown in color. The worker ants are uniform in shape and size and move in well-defined trails. They have a slight greasy, musty odor when crushed.

3) Carpenter Ants - Carpenter ant workers have black, dark brown, red and black, yellow or red coloration with sizes ranging from 3.4 to 13 mm. Black carpenter ants have uniform dark brown and black colors, while red and black carpenter ants have dark brown and black bodies with a red-brown thorax.

4) Fire Ants - Fire ants are red and black in coloration and, like all insects, they are protected by a hard exoskeleton and have six legs. Worker ants have round heads with mandibles, an armored thorax midsection and an abdomen, made up of the pedicle and the gaster. The head is typically copper brown in color.

5) Little Black Ants

6) Odorous House Ants - Odorous house ant adults are dark brown to black and approximately 1/8 inch long. Their waist (petiole) has a single flattened node, which may be difficult to see because it is obscured by other body parts. They also have 12-segmented antennae that lack a distinct club.v

7) Pavement Ants - Pavement ants are uniformly small, about 3mm long. They are dark brown to black in color with a shiny gluster. There are striations on the head and dorsal surface of their thorax and their 12-segmented antennae end in a 3-segmented club.

How Long do Ants Live?

The average lifespan of an ant can be anywhere from a few weeks to 15 years. That depends on the species, the role the ant plays and the availability of food sources. For instance, a black garden ant can live almost two decades, while fire ant workers are expected to live less than a month. Long live the queen! In almost every species, her royalness outlives everyone else in the colony.

Ant Control FAQ's

What areas do you service?

Please Click Here to see our entire MD, VA, WV coverage areas.

What is the average cost for an ant exterminator in the MD, VA, WV area?

Professional ant control and extermination costs vary depending on the market, the service, the type of ant, the size of the treatment area, and if there is a warranty provided. Average costs for a one-time ant control treatment are $150-$450. Average costs for a recurring quarterly pest control plan, that included ants, is $320- $750 per year. CLICK HERE to see a complete list if average pest control prices.

What kinds of ants are in the Mid-Atlantic area? How can I identify ants?

If you see ants in your house, trees or lawn it is important to identify the species before any extermination plan. A professional exterminator will do that or you may attempt identification yourself. Some ant infestations could pose a nuisance, or worse a danger, to your home and family. The ant species found locally are Acrobat Ants, Argentine Ants, Carpenter Ants, Crazy Ants, Odorous House Ants, Pharoah Ants and even Fire Ants. A few invasive ants pose a real human health threat. And carpenter ants left unchecked are extremely dangerous when it comes to wood structural damage.

What is the cost of carpenter ant extermination?

We know from experience that carpenter ants are one of the most difficult pests to control and eliminate. The cost may vary widely based on our detailed carpenter ant inspection - and resultant extermination plan. A licensed professional may take many hours and treatments to completely exterminate carpenter ants or it may take only one-time treatment. Sometimes drilling is required. Average costs range from $250-$800. Prevention is always lower cost. Once eliminated, we recommend quarterly preventative carpenter ant inspections and treatment as necessary. CLICK HERE to see a complete information on carpenter ant control.

How can I get rid of ants on my own?

There are two main strategies for DIY ant control. Use ant baits and/or use ant repellents. But DIY pest control is not for everyone! OTC repellents may be highly toxic and usually just move the ants around -and make matters worse. Too, pesticides are toxic, and both professional grade as well as OTC ones, and must be carefully applied. If you want to solve your ant problem you must identify the species then locate and eliminate the colonies. That takes the right baits placed in the right locations at the right time of year. Any possibly some strategically places repellants. Then, if successful, you need to identify and perform home improvement actions to prevent ant reinfestation. Sometimes ant DIY pest control methods become an ongoing battel of dangerous and expensive sprays, baits and lead to frustration. It can actually end up costing you more than if you just called a professional ant control service.