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Defending Your Home from Ant Attacks
(Springfield, MO) -- One of the most heated battles is firing up in the Ozarks right now including in many of your homes.About this time every year, the assault begins. The attack can come from nearly anywhere. The trenches, neighbors front yard, even your kitchen sink.The front lines for Joan Johnson aren't in the deserts of Iraq or Afghanistan, but under her kitchen sink."They're pesky animals, they just like to get in where the food is," says Johnson.Nearly every year, Johnson says an explosion of odorous house ants rock her world."Probably a couple dozen at one time," says Johnson.Bret Lovekamp, Bug Zero Technician, adds, "It seems like we've had a lot of calls this year. A lot to do with the rain. Rain tends to make ants move."Exterminators like Lovekamp say the pests pick their point of attack carefully, usually targeting sweets and proteins. In the war on bugs, experts say over the counter sprays will work. But you do need to be careful."Sometimes that can actually split nests. Just because you're taking that away, where they're coming in at, so if they sense any time of danger, they're going to find a different place to leave." explains Lovekamp. If you don't have time to bring in professional reinforcements, Lovekamp says there are other ways to build a barrier.He advises, "Maintain a clean environment. They tend to find if you have food sitting out, or trash or anything like that you've got around the house, they'll find it."Exterminators say if there are ants in your home, it's important to try and get rid of them early. It's not uncommon for ants to move their nests indoors and live near a water source inside your home. Pest experts say you also need to identify the ant. Different species require different types of extermination methods.