Irrespective of whether you have petite sugar ants or bigger and more destructive carpenter ants in your home, you should get rid of the insects as quickly as possible. That’s because other than spoiling your home’s environment, these creatures can cause serious harm to your health.
Indeed, ants don’t spread or carry diseases in the same manner as pests like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Still, having ants in your home is not safe for your health. Studies have confirmed that ants can carry various food-borne diseases. So, if you have ants in your home, call local ant control experts right away to eradicate them. Read on to know more about how ants can harm your health.
Ants Can Be Responsible for Cross-Contamination
Most homes in Michigan experience invasions by sugar ants, pavement ants, and carpenter ants during the spring and summer months. Unfortunately, each of the three above-mentioned ant species can enter our homes without any difficulty.
If you come across two or three ants every day in your home, you should be certain that your home is facing an ant infestation. In other words, there are possibly hundreds of these insects hiding in different corners of your property.
Ants usually start looking for sources of water and food the moment they enter a home. They will not only invade your kitchen and dining area but will also reach the trash cans and toilets. Even if you clean your kitchen sinks, toilet seats, and trash cans regularly, you cannot deny the fact that these areas serve as hosts to potentially harmful bacteria. Ants can transmit these bacteria all over your home when traveling from one part of the property to another.
If you don’t get rid of these insects quickly, you and your family members may keep falling sick with infections and other diseases.
Ants Can Cause Food-Borne Diseases in Humans
Ants not only transmit bacteria that were already present in your home. They can also bring some harmful bacteria with them from outside. Examples of those food-borne microorganisms include salmonella, clostridium, Shigella, E. coli, strep, staph, and more. Ants can spread these bacteria to the food you eat as well as the items in your pantry.
Ant Bites Often Result in Allergic Reactions and Infections
Ant stings and bites are extremely painful. Indeed, all ants don’t sting. However, the ones that sting can put venom into your blood using their tiny mandibles. This can cause excruciating pain and can cause symptoms like swelling, burning, and itching. If the victim doesn’t get treatment at the right time, the ant sting can also turn out to be fatal.
Ant bites are usually less harmful than stings. Still, you may suffer from intense pain. Ant bites can also trigger allergic reactions in some.
Final Words
If you have ants in your home, get rid of them before they multiply further and turn your home into a mess. Hire an ant control professional for doing the job if you want the results to be permanent.