Unsuspectingly, you walk into the kitchen on a hot summer's day when your eye catches the countertop. What do you suddenly see running through there? Is that an ant in your kitchen? The big problem with ants, however, is that there is never just one. Before you know it, you have an ant infestation. And fighting ants is even harder than you think. Therefore, it may be wise to call in a professional as soon as you are bothered by these little creatures. Ants cause more damage than you would think at first sight. Are you also bothered by ants? We will tell you everything about why you want to fight ants, but also about the costs of ant control. Your house and garden will soon be free of these little demolishers.
Why should you fight ants?
Ants do not look too dangerous at first sight. You might wonder what harm a few of these little creatures can do in your house or garden. First, they are a nuisance, especially if they have found their way into your kitchen. But they also cause a lot of damage.
Bad for your garden
Ants dig a system of corridors under your garden. They dig between the roots of your grass or plants, causing them to die. This results in dead flowers or large bare spots in your lawn. And that, of course, is a shame for your carefully laid out garden.
Risk of subsidence
Not only do ants cause your garden to die, they can also cause subsidence. When they dig their burrow under your terrace or driveway, air gets underneath the tiles instead of soil or sand. If this becomes too much air, the tiles will start to sag. Not only is this not pretty, but crooked tiles can also cause dangerous situations.
They disturb your peace and quiet
There are a number of different species of ants and some of these creatures can be quite nasty. This is, of course, very annoying when you are enjoying the sun in your garden. In addition, you can no longer eat quietly in your garden, because ants will immediately come to it.
They bring other pests
Ants eat the mildew that is made by aphids. Because they want to eat as much of this stuff as possible, they protect the aphids. So if you have a lot of ants in your garden, there is a good chance that you will also find a lot of aphids there within a short time. Therefore, it is wise to fight ants.
How do you get an ant infestation?
An ant infestation does not just happen. Ants start looking for a place to build their nest as soon as the sun starts shining again, around March or April. They will do this in a place where there is a lot of food. Therefore, there is a good chance that you will find an ants' nest in a place where you regularly leave food scraps. Generally, ants nest in the garden, but if they find a hole in the cavity wall, it is also possible that they live in your house. From there, they will actively search for food and the way to your kitchen is often quickly found. As soon as you notice this, it is important to act quickly. Fighting ants before they can cause further damage can save you a lot of trouble.
What are the costs for ants?
You know that fighting ants is sensible, but how much does it cost? For this job, you have to hire a pest controller. The exact costs depend on the location of the nest and the size of the pest. On average, you can count on the following costs.
Activities Costs
Ants in the house € 100 - € 150
Fighting ants outside € 75 - € 125
Fighting ants at home is in general a little more expensive than fighting them outside, because ants nests at home are more difficult to reach than in the garden. This means that the professional will have to do the job longer. Also, the pest controller has a different approach when fighting ants inside the house than when fighting them outside. Indoors, the professional usually uses insecticide or bait, while outdoors they usually use bait or an ant-locker. This is because the nest is often easier to reach and because fighting ants outside with insecticide is prohibited. This explains the difference in costs of ants indoors and outdoors. The actual costs for ants will always depend on your specific situation.
