Prevent an Ant Infestation This Summer in 5 Steps

Prevent an ant infestation in Wisconsin this summer with tips from Batzner Pest Control

If you’ve had an ant problem before, you know what a pain they can be. During Wisconsin summers, ant infestations spike in numbers. There’s a reason why ants are considered to be the number 1 nuisance pest in the nation: not only are they annoying, they are infamously difficult to get rid of without the help of a professional! To avoid the frustration of ants to begin with, it’s important to learn how to prevent an ant infestation in the first place. The experts at Batzner Pest Control have years of experience controlling ants and are sharing their expert tips for keeping ants out.

Common Summertime Ants

Ants are a pest problem all year long. There are more than 700 types of ants in the nation, but thankfully, you’ll likely only encounter a few in your area. It’s important to know what type of ant you’re dealing with–different types of ants pose different dangers. Some of the most common types of ants you’ll likely encounter include:

6 Steps to Prevent an Ant Infestation

Once ants get indoors, they can spread easily. One ant colony can quickly turn into multiple! To avoid dealing with the distress of an ant problem, there are several things you can do to keep them out in the first place. Our expert tips for preventing ant infestations include:

  1. Keeping a clean home. Sweep your floors regularly to get rid of crumbs. Ants are attracted to sugary food sources and a few crumbs will keep them coming back for more.
  2. Storing food properly. Avoid leaving food out uncovered. Keep food in airtight containers or store them safely in cupboards and fridges.
  3. Sealing entry points. Ants can crawl through the tiniest of cracks. Inspect your property and use caulk to seal any gaps, holes, or potential entry ways.
  4. Avoiding excess moisture. Areas with standing water or leaks will attract ants quickly. Attend to broken pipes and clean up spills quickly.
  5. Trimming back trees and vegetation. Plants close to your home can encourage ants to come in. Make sure tree branches, shrubs, and bushes are trimmed away from the perimeter!
  6. Picking up your pet’s food. Crumbs and spills from your cat or dog’s food and water bowls can be a huge attractant for ants. Always clean up and store bowls between mealtimes.

Summer Ant Problems in Wisconsin

Preventing ants can seem difficult. Ants are pesky and will gladly enter your property to seek out food and shelter. If you’ve done everything you can to keep ants out and still are noticing the signs of an infestation, it’s time to call the Batzner ant exterminators. We are committed to providing you with ant-free living not just in the summer but all year long!

Fool-Proof Ant-Proofing Tips

Pick up pet food to avoid ants in your Wisconsin home - Batzner Pest Control

Ants are a fact of life in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, ant season is only just beginning. After a wetter winter, ant problems become a serious nuisance for homeowners. And if you’ve ever had ants before, you know they can be downright frustrating to get rid of. As the weather warms up, it’s important to know how to prevent ants in your property. Ant-proofing your property can work to keep ants from making themselves at home. Keep reading for expert ant prevention tips from the team here at Batzner Pest Control!

What Are Ants Attracted to in Homes?

Ants are like any other pest in that they are constantly looking for sources of food and water. They typically make their way indoors through cracks and crevices in your foundation, or through windows. Once inside, they are drawn to areas with excess moisture and will hide in crevices. Kitchens tend to be a hot spot for infestations. If you have crumbs on your counter tops, stove top, or floor, you can be sure ants will find them. They are also attracted to excess moisture problems–if you have a leaky faucet or pipe that causes a surplus of humidity or moisture, ants will likely be drawn to the area.

Best Ant-Proofing Tips

Ants are opportunists and infestations can be unpredictable. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can go about ant-proofing your property. Some of the best ways to prevent ants are as follows.

  1. Inspect the foundation of your home and seal any cracks or crevices using a silicone-based caulk.
  2. Keep any pet food bowls clean and always clean up after messes and spills. Pick pet bowls up off the floor after meal times.
  3. Make sure downspouts and gutters are all functioning properly so that water is flowing away from the foundation.
  4. Regularly check under sinks for excess moisture problems and repair leaky pipes promptly.
  5. Trim trees and shrubbery in your yard to be at least 6 inches away from the home.
  6. Wipe down any counter tops and sweep floors regularly to clean up spills and remove crumbs.
  7. Store food (including pet food) in airtight containers and refrigerate ripe fruit.
  8. Dispose of garbage on a regular basis and use trash cans with a tight-fitting lid.

What to Do When You Have Ants

You’ve done all you can to prevent ants but are still having issues with ant trails–what now? Although there are many store-bought and DIY methods to get rid of ants, your best chance is always to use a professional ant exterminator. At Batzner, our team can control any current pest problems you’re having as well as prevent future ones from happening with expert ant-proofing tips.

Springtime Pests to Prevent

Prevent spring pests by spring cleaning your New Berlin or Oshkosh WI home. Get tips from Batzner Pest Control!

Many rejoice the arrival of spring…pests included. As winter wraps up, many types of insects and pests will come out in search of food and to breed. Warmer weather encourages their activity, making it important to protect your home against the onslaught of pests now!  There are several things you can do to lessen the risk of an infestation in your Wisconsin home this time of year. Read on to learn more from the experts at Batzner Pest Control!

Springtime Pest Problems

While some of these pests are active year-round, there tends to be a peak in activity in the springtime. There are several types of pests in particular that cause property owners a lot of grief this time of year:

  1. Ants. With warmer weather comes hoards of ants in your home.
  2. Flies. In the spring and summer, flies are more active than ever and can be a big nuisance.
  3. Rodents. Although they’re active year-round, rats and mice are a problem in the spring.
  4. Stinging insects. Wasps and hornets are gearing up to build nests this time of year.
  5. Stink bugs. After overwintering, people report a resurgence in stink bugs.

Preventing Pests in the Spring

If you’re planning on doing some spring cleaning this year, it’s smart to implement pest prevention measures while you’re at it. Clean your windows and doors, and make sure there are no cracks or crevices. If there are, seal them properly. Consider deep cleaning your carpets by vacuuming, shampooing, or steam-cleaning them. Thoroughly sanitize your kitchen with a focus on your appliances. Crumbs and spilled liquids are easy bait for rodents, cockroaches, and more!

Remove debris from your yard, and trim back tree branches away from your home. Ensure your plumbing is working properly and fix any leaks. In general, tidy up your home. Clean under furniture, wipe down surfaces, and inspect areas of your home that need fixing up.

How to Get Rid of Seasonal Pests

If you’ve done all you can to prevent pests this spring but still are dealing with flies, rats, or stink bugs, it’s best to enlist the help of a professional pest control company. At Batzner, our exterminators will work with you to develop a custom pest control plan that will keep you and your family safe from pests all year long.

Do You Have Termites or Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants are commonly mistaken for termites. The Batzner Pest Control experts share how to tell them apart.

If you think you’ve seen termites in or near your property, how can you be sure they aren’t carpenter ants? Both of these pests are wood-destroying insects that, in the swarmer stage, are commonly mistaken for one another. Termite and carpenter ant swarmers are active around the same time of the year and, from afar, look quite similar. Although they are both destructive, these wood-boring insects are quite different. To learn whether you may be dealing with termites or carpenter ants, read on for tips from the experts at Batzner Pest Control.

The Main Difference Between Wood-Destroying Insects

When it comes to these two wood-destroying insects, one is much more feared than the other.

  1. Carpenter Ants
    • Typically establish nests in wood that is already in decay, and later expand into sound wood, insulation, or wall voids.
    • Their damage is not usually visible. When it is, you can notice that the galleries they excavate appear to have been sanded.
    • For the most part, carpenter ants do not create the extensive damage termites do.
  2. Termites
    • Usually make their way into a structure around basement windows, doorways, under siding, porches, or any structure in contact with the soil.
    • Established colonies can range from 60,000 to over a million workers and can consume nearly 5 grams of wood per day.
    • Termites are significantly more dangerous than the carpenter ant, as they can cause much more damage in a short period of time.

Winged ant vs. termite in Oshkosh WI - Learn more from Batzner Pest Control

What do Termites and Carpenter Ants Look Like?

In the swarmer stage, termites and carpenter ants look very alike. Carpenter ant swarmers are black in color with slightly red coloring at times. Their wings are translucent with a reddish-brown hue. The biggest difference is that carpenter ants measure 1/2″–5/8″ with antennae bent at a 45-degree angle.

Termite swarmers are dark brown to black in color and measure 3/8″ long including the wings. Their wings are a translucent to slightly milky or smoky color, may overlap, and are typically as long as or slightly longer than the body. This is an easy visual clue to differentiate them from carpenter ants.

What to Do When You Have Termites or Carpenter Ants

If you think you’ve spotted the signs of either termites or flying ants, it’s time to call the termite exterminators at Batzner Pest Control. Termites and carpenter ants alike are difficult to control without the expertise of a pest control expert. Our team can thoroughly inspect your Wisconsin home or business for wood-destroying insects and help protect you from them year-round!

What to Do Once You Know You Have an Ant Problem

Learn what to do once you have an ant problem in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control serving New Berlin, Madison, Oshkosh, Racine, Green Bay and surrounding areas

If you’ve ever experienced an ant problem, you know how frustrating and seemingly never-ending they can be. Seeing just a few ants here and there can quickly turn to hundreds or even thousands—overnight! Ant infestations are overwhelming for any property owner, which is why it’s important to know what to do as soon as you suspect you have an ant issue looming. Bottom line, completely getting rid of ants often requires the help of a professional pest control company with experience controlling current infestations and preventing future ones.

Signs of an Ant Infestation

Just seeing a couple of ants every few days is a pretty normal occurrence for any property owner. So how do you know when you have an infestation on your hands? There are several things to look out for when it comes to dealing with ants:

  1. Ant trails: Worker ants will lay down a pheromone in their trail to a food source in order to lead other ants to the food.
  2. Ant mounds or nests: The appearance of nests can vary between species, but generally look like small piles of soil or dirt.
  3. A never-ending population: If you’re noticing more and more ants each day, it’s likely their colony has spread.

How to Get Rid of Ants

There’s a reason why ants are so dreaded by homeowners—they’re infamously hard to get rid of! Although there are a number of DIY solutions to ant problems, they work best for prevention methods only. Once ants establish a colony inside your home or business, they can quickly grow and easily resist any store-bought products you may use in an attempt to defeat them. For this reason, a professional is needed to treat ants. While you’re waiting for help, you can help reduce the conditions that encourage ant populations to grow by keeping a tidy home, wiping up spills, picking up pet food, and more.

Professional Help for Ant Problems

Your best bet at stopping an ant issue in its tracks is to call a professional pest control company as soon as you start noticing more and more ants in your property. A licensed technician will be able to identify the species you’re dealing with before administering effective, long-lasting solutions to resolve your ant problem for good. Contact the expert team at Batzner Pest Control for ant solutions you can count on.

Get Rid of Kitchen Bugs: Ants, Beetles, Flies

The kitchen is one of the most common – and frustrating – places for homeowners to find pests. Ants, fruit flies, and pantry pests are naturally attracted to your kitchen for the same reasons people are, but you might be surprised to learn what they’re snacking on.

Thoroughly Clean All Surfaces

In many cases of kitchen insect infestations, the cause is a missed spill or crumbs rather than food being left out or improperly stored. This can create a frustrating situation for homeowners who can’t get rid of fruit flies or ants even after they have removed all food items from their countertops and cabinets. If a problem persists, then the food source still needs to be found, and that can be more difficult than moving the fruit bowl from the island to the fridge. Nick Schanz, a Batzner Pest Control Service Manager, advises, “Inspect and be prepared to thoroughly wipe down every surface in the kitchen. This includes emptying out cupboards and cabinets and pulling out the oven and refrigerator to vacuum or sweep underneath them. Any residue left behind can attract pests, so make sure you clean it all!”

Clean all Appliances Regularly

Kitchen appliances also need to be cleaned regularly. This may seem obvious for appliances that have crumbs left inside them like toasters, ovens, and microwaves, but other appliances can also be appealing for pests. For example, the coffeemaker can be an attractant for ants. Steve Counsell, Batzner’s Training and Development Manager, explains, “They’re attracted to some of the heat sources. Plus, with the kitchen, it’s a nice area for them to grab food and water is plentiful. There’s really everything they need in order to establish a colony.”

One unfortunate woman from Somers, Wisconsin experienced ants making their home in her coffeemaker. Check out her story here!

Wipe Down Bottles

One additional food source that often gets overlooked is the spillage on the outside of bottles that are kept in the pantry. Some common culprits for having residue stick around on the container are honey, syrup, oil, and peanut butter. If you are having problems finding the food source of an infestation, wipe these down along with any other containers that might be prone to residue from drips.

Removing the food source should drastically reduce the number of insects in your kitchen, but the best way to keep any pest out of your home is through a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management program from Batzner Pest Control. Contact us today to sign up for our exclusive pestfree365 program or to learn about our additional service offerings!

Carpenter Ant Identification

By this time in the summer, most homeowners have probably spotted at least a few ants indoors. It is important to note that not all ants are created equally; some species of ants are just a nuisance, whereas others can cause serious problems. Early identification of one species in particular can prevent structural damage to your home, and you should keep an eye out for it this summer – the carpenter ant.

Distinguishing Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants have a few distinctive features to help identify them. The middle section of their bodies (the thorax) is rounded and they have a single node connecting their thorax and abdomen. Other common ants will have either an uneven thorax, two nodes between the thorax and abdomen, or both. Carpenter ants also tend to be larger than other species. Unfortunately, they are still so small that is very difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish between carpenter ants and other less harmful species. For this reason, it is best to contact a pest control professional if there are any signs of a potential carpenter ant infestation.

 

Identifying Infestations
Once carpenter ants have been correctly identified, the next step is to determine if there is a nest inside your house. Seeing a few carpenter ants inside your home in late spring and early summer is not definitive proof of an indoor nest, as they are most likely just looking for food or water for their outdoor colony. However, if any of the following are seen, it is likely that some carpenter ants have made their home inside of yours:

  • Frass (fine, powdery wood particles and insect parts, like sawdust) falling from interior wood. As you may know, carpenter ants do their damage by excavating tunnels in wood for their colony to live in. Unlike mosquitoes, however, they don’t eat the wood. Instead, they deposit it as frass.
  • Many winged ants flying inside your house (the winged carpenter ants are capable of reproducing, and they may be looking to set up additional colonies inside your home).
  • Consistent presence or sightings of many wingless worker ants in rooms other than the kitchen.
  • Carpenter ants inside the house between fall and early spring.

Because these indicators are small and require attention to detail and consistent record keeping, they can easily be missed. Carpenter ants’ peak activity also occurs during the night, so they often go undetected by homeowners. A trained Service Specialist who inspects your home and installs monitoring traps is a much more reliable source for identifying infestations inside of your home.

Treating an Infestation
If there are signs that a carpenter ant colony is inside your home, the nest needs to be destroyed and the queen killed for any chance of long-term success. This can be very difficult as the entry point is often very far from the actual nest location, and satellite colonies could exist at other places in your home. Contact an extermination company to get the best results.

What Spring Pests to Expect: Ticks, Boxelder Bugs, Mosquitoes and Ants

As the weather warms and the ground thaws, spring pests will start to emerge from their winter hiding places to enjoy all the good things that the season has to offer. The additional pest activity can be a nuisance for homeowners, so be sure to keep an eye out for signs of infestations. Insect infestations can cause issues inside and outside the home that can be annoying and expensive to fix. Here are some common springtime insect pests to watch for, and the potential damage that can be caused by letting their populations get out of control:

  • Japanese Beetles– Japanese beetles begin the spring in their grub stage, nibbling away at your lawn’s root system. This can lead to dead spots and bare areas in the lawn which require reseeding. When the temperature gets warm enough, the grubs emerge from the ground as beetles and feed on the leaves of plants and trees, including ornamentals like roses.
  • Ticks– Ticks start appearing in the spring, and can cause a number of problems if they are hanging out in your yard. Their bites, while occasionally very painful to people or pets, are usually just a mild annoyance. However, being bitten should be taken seriously, as ticks are known for spreading diseases such as Lyme Disease.
  • Boxelder Bugs– Boxelder bugs don’t typically cause extensive damage to homes or foliage during the spring. They spend their spring and summer feeding and reproducing on a select few kinds of trees, primarily female box elder trees, and only occasionally cause minor damage to fruits and leaves. Crushing them can release an unpleasant odor, and their feces can stain light colored surfaces. Allowing their population to go unchecked does create a nuisance in the fall, when they reenter the home in preparation for winter.
  • Mosquitoes– Mosquito eggs begin hatching in the spring, and reach their adult stage in less than two weeks. As with ticks, mosquito bites are mostly an annoyance, but they can also spread diseases such as West Nile and yellow fever.
  • Ants– Ants also emerge from their nests in the spring, and are often drawn into your home in search of a meal. In addition to crawling all over any food that has been left out, research has shown that ants can cause or exacerbate asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues for those sensitive to such problems.

More information on these pests, including signs of infestations, can be found on the National Pest Management Association’s website. As with other pests, spring insects are best handled by a professional. If you see any signs of an infestation in your home or workplace, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

5 Reasons Your Home Needs Pest Inspections Each Year

Home maintenance isn’t just about checking for repairs and keeping your home clean and organized; it should involve regular pest inspections too. At a minimum, you should have your home inspected for pest infestations or threats every 12 months. And here’s why:

  1. Proactive Prevention – Properly taking care of your home and family often times means being proactive in home maintenance. Operations Manager, Dave Markee, explains “Because we live in a cold weather climate for part of the year, the foundation and building products of our homes expand, shift, and crack during colder weather. This creates openings for pests, especially rodents.” It is important to catch any pest activity before it gets out of hand and major damage is caused to your home.
  1. Financial Security – By using our pestfree365 program, you can feel secure that an infestation isn’t going to set you back financially. With BAN, a Service Specialist comes to your home once a quarter to perform services and keep your home pest-free. Some commonly unnoticed pests are carpenter ants, which can cause damage to window frames and foam board in siding without you noticing. Regular pest inspections can prevent your budget from taking a hit by catching pests like carpenter ants early.
  1. Value Preservation – If you are thinking of selling your home, you may want to consider having a pest inspection done before you put it on the market. If any pest problems are found, you can have them solved before you put your home up for sale. This will help preserve the value of your home with early detection and treatment. On the flip side, it is fairly common for people to call us and have an inspection done before they decide to buy a house. Better to be safe than sorry!
  1. Health Concerns – Health issues associated with household pests are wide-spread and range from chronic allergies to asthma. Cockroach allergens are common culprits for asthma in children. Making sure your home is free of pests can reduce or eliminate health issues you or your family may have.
  1. Peace of Mind – Pests are very small creatures, but they can cause headaches and impact your quality of life. At the end of the day, we all want to know that our family is safe in our own home and are protected from the effects of pests. Your home is one of your most valuable possessions and it should be protected from anything that could cause damage to it.

7 Tips for Preventing Ants from Entering Your House

Spring is approaching and the temperature is on the rise. That always lifts your spirits after the long, cold winter. But green grass and flowers aren’t the only thing on its way. ANTS!

You may have begun to spot a few ants in your home or business. Don’t stress out! Here are a few simple prevention methods, and a solution if you believe you might have an ant infestation.

  1. Clean up any food or liquid spills immediately. Ants will most likely come into your home or business to look for foods, so you’ll find them most frequently where food is kept.
  2. Sweep up any crumbs or food particles under kitchen appliances. You know that toaster oven on your countertop that always seems to have crumbs hidden underneath? Or those mystery food particles lurking under your refrigerator?
  3. Store food in airtight containers. Believe it or not, ants certainly do have a sweet tooth. Leaving items like baking sugar or sweet cereal boxes barely closed is like a written invitation to ants and other crawling critters.
  4. Clean up any leftover pet food. Pet food dishes may also be the culprit of any ants that may have taken up residence in your home. If Fido hasn’t finished his meal, or made a mess, be sure to clean it up immediately.
  5. Seal up any cracks or crevices in doorways, windows and any other access points to the outside. That draft does more than raise your energy bill and give you a chill, it may also be an open walkway for ants into your home or business.
  6. Keep compost and garbage bins enclosed. Compost is an amazing source of nutrients for your growing garden, but it’s also a dream food source for ants.
  7. Inspect mulch, remove leaves in gutters and downspouts. On the exterior of your home, landscaping may play a role in any ant activity you may see in your home. Keep trees and shrubs from directly touching your home.

Keep in mind that once an ant has found a food source, they leave a pheromone trail behind them, alerting other ants within the colony that they’ve located food. It’s a strong possibility that if you’ve seen one ant, others aren’t far behind.

If you suspect an ant infestation, contact Batzner Pest Control as soon as possible to speak with an expert.