Summer is finally on the way. It's time to start planning for some fun activities. It's also time to start preparing for the onslaught of ants that you're bound to experience. There's something about summer that brings out all the ants. Now that it's warming up, ants are going to be looking for some quick access to food, water, and nesting materials. That's where your yard – and home – come into their plans. If you want to avoid an ant problem this summer, you need to start making plans now for combating them. Here are a few simple steps you can take to defeat the ants:

Keep Things Clean

When it comes to ants, they're going to go anywhere they can find free food. If you're leaving things out in the kitchen, or you've got crumbs in the cabinets, ants are going to be attracted to your home. The best way to keep ants out of your home is to keep things as clean as possible. Clean spills up as soon as they happen, especially sweet liquids such as soda and juice. Sweep your floor at least twice a day to remove particles of food that might attract ants. Finally, inspect your cabinets. Put lids on containers to keep the ants out. Use a vacuum to thoroughly remove crumbs that would be inviting to the ants. It's also a good idea to pull your refrigerator out once a month to clear away things that might provide ants with food, moisture, or nesting material.

Clear the Debris

Once you've taken care of the issues inside the house, it will be time to move outside. Debris in your yard can create an attractive nuisance, that will attract ants to your home. The first thing you should do is remove any weeds that might be growing near your home. Those weeds will provide a cool place for ants to hang out during the summer. Next, if you have fruit trees in your yard, pick up any dead fruit that might be lying on the ground. Finally, if you store dry pet food outside, make sure the lid is on securely. Pet food can attract ants.

Call the Exterminator

While you're outside, look for active ant hills. If you find them, you'll need to call an exterminator like Be There Pest Control. Surface treatment of anthills will only kill the ones that are outside of the nest. To get rid of the ants, your exterminator will need to take the battle right to the source – inside the nest.

Don't let ants ruin your summer. Use the tips provided here to get rid of them once and for all. 

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