Spring brings out beautiful flowers, birds, and sunshine… and it also brings out some nasty pests. During the long cold winter, ants and termites usually live pretty dormant. However, as soon as the weather gets a little warmer, the swarms begin to wake up, move around, and start their search for food.

Ants are so small that they can fit through tiny cracks in your walls and foundation. It’s pretty common to have an ant infestation inside your kitchen because the amount of food and the potential for leftover crumbs are a beacon for them. Many pest control companies use cheap chemicals to get rid of ants. Instead of being effective, these companies are only getting rid of the top layer of the problem. Diluted or “DIY” pest control methods often don’t fix an ant problem mainly because they just aren’t strong enough. At Chilton’s Environmental, we use quality, effective products to keep ants at bay.

Termites can be especially hurtful to homeowners because of how silently they work. You often won’t see termites until the damage has been done. Be aware of hollow wood around your house, termite droppings, or termites on the outside of your house. It’s important to keep firewood and scrap wood away from the home so as not to incentivize termites to come in. This is the time of the year that termite swarmers come out (the winged version of termites). Be on the lookout for these pests (and dropped wings and mud tubes), but know that the termite infestation is probably not new because you’re just now seeing them – you most likely already have damage. It’s incredibly important to have a professional to routinely inspect your property for termites. Chilton’s even offers moisture control, termite baiting, and termite pre-treatment.

If you suspect ants or termites have invaded your home, call a professional that has experience and the right tools for the job – Chilton’s Environmental!