Ant Hot Spots You Should Know
No matter where you’re located, there are ants that have carved out territory in your region. Despite their small size, these pests are difficult to control and can cause big problems for your business. When ants go marching into your facility, they can damage structures, transmit pathogens, cause electrical problems and threaten health and safety scores in food handling environments.
You can help protect your business from ants by monitoring exterior and interior hot spots each day and better understanding the different kinds of ants and their behaviors. (Download our free Antcyclopedia, a reference guide for common ant species, attractants and prevention measures.)
Take note of these hot spots instead of overlooking them.
Exterior Hot Spots
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Ants can enter a building through tiny openings and can nest behind walls, in storage rooms and outdoors in landscaping. Fortifying entrances, exterior walls and windows against invaders should be the first line of defense - door sweeps and weather stripping can help fill gaps around doors and windows, and automatic doors can help close off entrances as much as possible. Seal any cracks in your building’s foundation, floors and exterior walls with weather-resistant sealant and add a metal mesh around pipes and drains before sealing.
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Loading docks also are prime pest targets since they often remain open for long periods of time. Keep doors closed when possible and be sure to inspect all incoming shipments for signs of pests.
Interior Hot Spots
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Break rooms, offices and locker rooms that employees use can provide ants with the food, water and shelter they need to survive. Keep these areas clean and sanitary, especially underneath sinks, around drains and around water pipes. Empty trash cans often and clean up any spills immediately.
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In food-handling environments, try to avoid squeezing equipment into tight areas, and position machinery so it is easily accessible from all sides for thorough cleaning. A tight spot to us is no sweat for an ant.
To learn more about ants and what makes them tick, download our free Antcyclopedia.