Before you can solve an ant problem, you need to know where they are coming from.   This video will help you find a common entry point into your house.  

You may also be amazed at the vast number of ants trailing into the house.  We’re not talking about just dozens or hundreds but thousands of ants!   If you want your ant problem dealt with prompty and effectively, give us a call today. 

503-968-5950

New ants can pick up the scent trail of past ants

Sometimes, an ant problem never really gets solved. If an over the counter type of treatment is used, mostly just contact killing is occurring (despite what the sales information on the container says.) The problem just temporarily subsides. Other times, the root of the problem, the colony, is actually destroyed or killed out. In this case, the solution is off to a good start but not necessarily completely solved. Even when the colony had been killed off, the pheromones of the deceased ants remain in the form of trails. These pheromone trails stick around as signposts to new ants strolling through the neighborhood. When they pick up on these scents, they are basically told, in simple terms, “hey, other ant’s have been here before, you should check it out!” And alas, if the stray forager likes what it finds, the start of a new colony is born. This phenomenon exhibits the importance of periodic, follow up treatments for a stretch of time. Subsequent and systematic follow up treatments will eventually form a barrier that new ants will not pass until the pheromones fully dissipate. While any ant can eventually crawl anywhere, everything you can do to make your house less attractive to new infestation will go along way towards better long-term pest management. If you are ready to make your home less hospitable to ant and other pests, call us today!

Because of the pheromone trails that all ants leave, subsequent ants tend to stay on the same trail until they find what the original trail sought out – food or shelter.   Unfortunately, when the end of the trail is inside of your home, that can cause quite an annoyance for the homeowner.   The specific ants along this trail happen to be odorous house ants.

Just imagine when you see 5, 10, 25 or even 50 ants in your house, possibly trailing along the edge of a counter or baseboard.   That may seem like a lot but it is just the tip of the iceberg.   No wonder squashing (or is it squishing, oh well) a dozen or two seems to get you nowhere.

If you are ready to shut down the super highway of ants leading into your home, call us today and well put a prompt end to all the ant traffic you’re seeing!

They go by many names but the result is always the same – they drive you crazy!   The odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile) is the most common ant problem in the Portland area during mid winter through early spring.

Many of us have grown up seeing them and calling them by various names – small ants, sugar ants, pavement ants, odorous ants, etc.   Interestingly, a name can often affect how we perceive a pest and the significance of the problem.   Some folks are lead to believe not much bad can come from something called a “small ant” or “sugar ant.”    However, odorous ant colonies, left untreated, can amass to a size of 50,000 to 100,000 ants.   That’s no small problem!

While not destructive like a carpenter ant, odorous ants have the ability to suddenly overrun any given room of your home.

Moist areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are usually the first, but aggressive ants will soon be looking for other areas to move in to.The photo below shows what is common to see the first few days that an infestation becomes visible.   I say becomes visible because at this point, the ants have already been nearby for quite a while.

Odorous Ants on counter - just the beginning.

This is the stage where the homeowner might be surprised but not overwhelmed yet and might try to handle the problem with a paper towel, household cleaner or the nearest can of over the counter bug spray.

None of those options will solve the problem and one, spraying the wrong type of pesticide, can actually make the problem worse.

There is good news, however, for those in Portland with odorous ants.   If you see a small gathering of ants such as the one above, call a professional ASAP.   Prompt action will help fix your problem before the colony grows to scary proportions.

Are you ready to say goodbye to your ants?   Let All Pest Control help you today – get your FREE estimate.

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Heidi_Ball]Heidi Ball

Nothing is much worse than seeing a cockroach scurry across the kitchen.They have been shown to transport a number of bacteria and viruses on their icky little bodies. They can cause some serious health problems and should be eliminated as soon as possible.

Termites and carpenter ants are a significant cause for worry. While they don’t carry the diseases that cockroaches do, they can destroy buildings and crops. Termites especially as they live in colonies from several hundred to several million in number.

In some places the battle of ticks and fleas is ongoing. Ticks can be found in tall grass and shrubs where they wait for an unsuspecting "host" to attach themselves to. They can transmit Lyme disease which indeed can be very serious. Fleas live off the blood of mammals and birds. They are great jumpers and also a great source of disease. They can transmit things as serious as the bubonic plague and also as awful as tapeworms.

Mites and bed bugs can bite and create painful skin irritation. Scratching an itchy bite from a mite can lead to secondary infection. Bed bugs feed on their host while they sleep. They use a sharp beak to pierce the skin and then feed on the blood. A full grown bed bug will feed for as long as 10 to 15 minutes. As horrible as it may sound, bed bugs are most frequently found in hotels or shelters. They are not a result of poor housekeeping or bad hygiene, they are just around.

Especially with those with allergic reactions to bees, having hornets’ nests or yellow jackets around their dwelling can be scary and dangerous. Hornets will sting repeatedly if their nests are disturbed.  Carpenter bees can also be a problem as they can drill into wood and nest in the hole.

Rats and mice can be a problem both indoors and out. Some rats, like the Norway rat, can weigh up to one pound and can be up to 18 inches long. They can cause extensive damage to buildings and homes as they can cause problems with the foundation and some of their nests can cause electrical systems to short circuit. They are large contaminators of food and can transmit deadly diseases. Mice can cause some of the same problems on a smaller scale, but carry the same disease risks.

If you are experiencing any sort of pest problem, dqpestcontrol.com ( http://www.dqpestcontrol.com) can help with   Nassau County Animal Control.  Heidi Ball is a freelance writer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heidi_Ball http://EzineArticles.com/?Pests-That-Need-Control&id=2075044

Another common pest in the Portland area that in worthy of quick action is the odorous house ant.   While not an overly destructive pest, they can get out of control very quickly.   They usually start becoming more prevalent in the Portland area during March and April. – Tom

Usually, it is just one or two that you spot the first time that you see ants in your home. “What is an ant or two?” you might say to yourself as you either squish it, grab it with tissue is preparation for flushing or personally escort it to the back door. You might not even see any more signs of them for days or weeks.   How soon the next sighting is depends a lot on what the Portland Oregon weather is currently like.

But then there is that terrible moment when you round a corner, focus on something that doesn’t look right, and then suddenly realize that there are a dozen or two or three ants crawling all over something not intended for them! A quick rush for a can of bug spray, window cleaner or anything handy that has a list of chemical names on it is almost always the next step.

Let me suggest something different at that point. Resist spraying anything in you household cupboard on them. I know that you want them either dead, gone or both as soon as possible but believe it or not, spaying them with that handy household chemical is counter-productive. The vast majority of the time, it actually serves to make the problem worse.

The reason for this is that when you see a few ants, you are almost always only view the tip of the iceberg.

Rarely is what you see all that you have. Consider the visible ants to be the welcoming committee, announcing their presence with authority that they have moved into the house. Killing a few does nothing to solve the real problem – the nest.

Even worse, however, is that most household chemicals will form a temporary barrier. While this might sound like a good idea, in effect what is has the potential for doing is stressing the ant colony, making them work harder and eventually show up elsewhere in the structure with even more vigor. Some species, such as odorous house ants, actually respond by budding, creating an offshoot colony with its own queen. If you have ever tried holding a beach ball under water, you will soon realize a similar effect with your ant. They will just shoot up more elsewhere with more force.

The best plan of action is to call a professional pest control company by the second time you see ants.

This first time could always just be some “crawl-ins” from outdoors but if you see them a second time, they are there to stay. Services usually are very reasonable and the sooner you call, the smaller and more affordable the eradication job is. Additionally, the problem is addressed immediately and you can be back to having an ant free house instead of fighting a losing battle for a month before call for help.

If you live in the Portland Metro area and have seen an ant or two, please give us a call and we will be glad to help.