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Ants in the KitchenOut of the 10,000 species of ants found worldwide, only five species of ants are commonly found indoors in Southern California. These are the Carpenter Ant, Argentine Ant, Odorous House Ant, Thief Ant, and Pharaoh Ant. Ants species vary greatly in their nesting habits, food preferences, and behavior. Without an in-depth knowledge of these attributes of different ant species, control is difficult at best. Ants have two castes, the worker and the reproductive. The workers are all sterile females and can live four to seven years. The queens can live as long as 15 years. Ant colonies, however, can live for even longer by replacing the queens when they become older, sometimes even outlasting a generation of humans.The following items need to be done prior to the treatment1. Remove all items from every kitchen cupboard, drawer, and shelf where ants have been seen and place the items in another room either in plastic bags or covered with sheets. Any food removed from the cabinets must either be in sealed containers or placed in the refrigerator. It is a good idea to empty out all of your kitchen cupboards, drawers, and shelves. Once these areas have been treated, ants are unlikely to infest them.2. Remove shelf paper (except for contact paper) and clean the cupboards prior to the treatment. Remove all items from medicine cabinets and from under sink areas. 3. If ants have been seen in closets, remove all items from these areas. 4. Remove all pets from the premises. Cover any aquariums and unplug the air pumps. We are not responsible for your fish. 5. Be prepared to stay out of the building and off the property for 3 hours. Infants and elderly people should remain out for 5 hours. 6. Payment is due at the time of service unless previous arrangements have been made. The following items need to be done after the treatment1. Ventilate your house before reentry if there is an odor present. Not all chemicals we use have an odor. Charcoal filters on air conditioners may be affected by our treatment, so do not use air conditioner to ventilate the building. Also, be sure to check smoke alarms to make sure they are still functional.2. If food and dish shelves have been treated, please allow them to dry. If they are not dry in 3 hours, wipe off any excess. Either way, cover them with shelf paper or newspaper before replacing items removed. Do not wash the shelves for 2 weeks. 3. Floors should be mopped lightly. Counters, sink tops, and bread boards should be cleaned before use. 4. DO NOT allow children or pets near the treated surfaces until they have dried. Wash both toys before children play with them and pets' food and water containers. 5. Wait until early the next morning before watering. Once dry, our chemicals will not wash away. Watering in the early a.m. helps avoid lawn fungus and saves water. 6. Please allow a period of time for the treatment to take effect. Sometimes regular service is needed for control. Consult your technician for more information. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS MAY AFFECT ANY GUARANTEE OFFERED |