Carpenter Ants and Health: Should You Be Concerned?

Contrary to popular belief, insects themselves are very hygienic animals. Carpenter ants, for instance, have glands that secrete an antibiotic over their exoskeleton to kill germs and prevent fungus and bacteria from breeding on their bodies and in their nests. The danger in the spread of bacteria lies more in relation to cockroaches and other pests.

If you’re concerned that carpenter ants and other pests may be spreading germs and disease throughout your household, then you are right to be. The problem doesn’t lie with the pests that inhabit your home, though. Insects are naturally fairly clean animals, and the bacteria and germs they carry come mostly from our own unsanitary practices.

The fact that you have carpenter ants or other pest infestations in your home suggests that your household is not as sanitary as it could be. The first step in getting rid of ants and pests is to alter the environment that drew them there in the first place. Leftover foods, crumbs and moisture areas in your home are breeding grounds for malicious bacteria. When pests get into these substances, they track bacteria out of these spots and over the rest of your home.

Make sure that your home is clean, and pests like carpenter ants will be less likely to enter your home in search of food. Many worker ants are “scouts”, systematically foraging for food, so ants in your home are nothing to be startled about, and do not necessarily mean that you have an infestation. Many times you will see two or three ants that are simply looking for food. If your home is clean, and they do not find any, you aren’t likely to see carpenter ants very often.

Carpenter ants and pests aren’t likely to breed bacteria in your home, but they can spread it. To prevent the spread of germs in your home, make sure that all of those nooks and crannies that are such a pain to get cleaned are wiped down with antibacterial solutions at least once a month. This is the first step to carpenter ant control, called organic pest control. If this doesn’t help, then you need to consider calling Skadedyrproffen maur inne.

Some rodents do pose severe dangers to health, however, such as the potentially fatal Hantavirus, and if your home is host to other, smaller pests, it is likely that you will soon be hosting rodents in your home as well. The same conditions that attract carpenter ants, cockroaches, and other insects are likely to attract rodents.

To maintain a healthy home environment, follow the best practices of organic pest control as a matter of course. For extra protection, make sure to have a pest control professional inspect and treat your home at least once a month. This will keep all pests away from your home and your children.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *