Five Simple Ant Prevention Tips For San Francisco Bay Area Properties

Last Modified on February 22, 2023 by Zachary Smith

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As one of the smallest home-invading pests in the United States, ants are regularly the cause of concern for millions of homeowners across the nation, so much so that most are desperate for infestation solutions and prevention. With so much misinformation on the internet these days, it’s tough to find sources with reliable tips that will help keep your San Francisco Bay Area & Monterey property safe and secure against these tiny terrors. Luckily for you, we already have five easy and proven tips that’ll help make your home and property much less appealing to ants.

oakland pest problem

Common Invasive Ants In San Francisco Bay Area Neighborhoods

Even though there are over 12,000 different species of ants worldwide, there are considerably fewer within the United States, and only a small fraction regularly infest homes and properties. In San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey neighborhoods specifically, there are five different species to worry about:

  • Argentine Ants – 1/8 of an inch long, dark brown to black
  • Odorous House Ants – 1/8 of an inch long, dark brown to black, smell like rotten coconut when crushed
  • Carpenter Ants – ¼ to ¾ of an inch long, red or black in color, though sometimes a mix of the two
  • Pharaoh Ants – 1/16 of an inch long, yellowish-brown in color with black abdomens
  • Fire Ants – 1/16 to 1/5 of an inch long, reddish-brown in color with black abdomens

Ant infestations are generally divided between nuisance infestations and dangerous infestations, but unfortunately, the only nuisance ants within the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey are Argentine ants and odorous house ants. Fire ants and pharaoh ants are both hazardous to your health, as fire ants will sting and pharaoh ants transmit diseases, and carpenter ants and fire ants will significantly damage the structural integrity and safety of your home.

Prevention Tips & Tricks To Protect Your San Francisco Bay Area Home From Ants

Like all pests, ants are attracted to easily accessible food sources and comfortable environments, both indoors and outdoors. While you can’t eliminate some factors, you can still implement new measures to reduce your chances of an infestation:

  • Proper food and waste storage – airtight containers for dry foods, tight-fitting lids for indoor trash cans
  • House cleaning – wipe down counters and food-prep areas daily, sweep, mop, and vacuum regularly, downsize on clutter around the home
  • Yard work – mow the lawn weekly, aerate the soil to ensure proper drainage, tight-fitting lids for outdoor trash cans, remove leaf and brush piles from the property
  • Minor household maintenance – repair gaps and cracks around the exterior of the home, replace broken and damaged siding, check for any leaks and water damage, add a dehumidifier to moisture-retaining rooms like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and basement, replace worn-down insulation around windows and door frames

Most Important Tip: Professional Assistance From Your Local Pest Control Company

Unfortunately, prevention isn’t a complete guarantee for these tenacious invaders, which is why it’s so important to find a pest control company you can trust. In the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey, that trusted pest control company is none other than Smith’s Pest Management. As environmental enthusiasts, we only use eco-friendly pest control products in our treatments, and all of our visits come with a 100% guarantee. We want to make sure you’re completely satisfied with our services, so if you find yourself struggling with pests between treatments, we’ll come back out and re-treat at no extra cost! So get in contact with us today, and start discussing which plan is best for you.

Author Bio: Zach Smith

Landscape Pro Turned Gopher Pro: Owner, Zach Smith, graduate of Cal Poly’s Horticulture program worked nine years as a landscape professional- dealing with gophers, moles, and ground squirrels and was quickly recruited by other local gardeners. Fast forward to the past 15+ years, where Zach and his team trap and remove burrowing pests from residential, municipal and commercial properties throughout the San Francisco Bay area, from Marin to Monterey.