You know that sinking feeling when you flip on the kitchen light and see them marching across your counter again. Those tiny sugar ants that seem to multiply overnight, no matter how many times you wipe down surfaces or throw away the spray bottles that didn’t work.
Here’s what changes when you get real ant control: You stop finding ants in your coffee maker. Your kids can leave a snack on the counter without creating an ant highway. You actually enjoy your kitchen again instead of constantly scanning for the next invasion.
The difference isn’t just fewer ants—it’s peace of mind. When the colony is eliminated at the source, not just the ants you can see, your home stays ant-free for months, not days.
We’ve been protecting Hernando County families from ant infestations for years at Around The Clock Pest Service. As a family-run business, you work directly with the owner—not a call center or rotating technicians who don’t know your property.
We understand Darby’s unique pest challenges. The warm, humid climate that makes this area beautiful also creates perfect conditions for sugar ants, fire ants, carpenter ants, and ghost ants to thrive year-round. Unlike northern climates where cold weather provides natural pest breaks, Florida ants never stop.
That’s why we offer 24/7 service, even on weekends. When you call, you get a real person who knows your situation and can often provide quotes over the phone. Over 100 five-star Google reviews prove our commitment to honest, transparent service that actually solves problems.
Most ant treatments fail because they only kill the ants you see. The queen and thousands of workers stay hidden, rebuilding the colony within days. Our approach targets the entire colony structure.
First, we identify the exact ant species—because sugar ants, carpenter ants, and fire ants require completely different treatments. We locate entry points, trailing patterns, and nesting sites both inside and outside your home.
Then we deploy targeted baiting systems. Worker ants carry the bait directly back to the queen and colony, eliminating the source. For fire ant mounds, we use specialized treatments that penetrate deep into the colony structure. The entire process takes 7-10 days for full effectiveness, with follow-up visits to ensure complete elimination.
You’ll see results within the first week, but the real difference shows up in the months that follow—no more recurring infestations.
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Your ant control service includes comprehensive indoor and outdoor treatment designed specifically for Central Florida conditions. We treat sugar ant trails in kitchens and bathrooms, eliminate carpenter ant colonies in moisture-damaged wood, and target ghost ant nesting sites in wall voids and potted plants.
For Darby’s sandy soil conditions, we apply specialized fire ant yard treatments that penetrate deep into mound structures. Our annual fire ant control provides up to 12 months of protection, plus added defense against other turf pests common in Hernando County.
Every treatment is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. If ants return between scheduled visits, we return at no extra charge—usually within 24 hours. We also provide ongoing prevention advice, helping you eliminate the moisture and food sources that attract ants in the first place.
Those tiny ants are most likely sugar ants or ghost ants, both common in Darby’s warm climate. They’re attracted to sweet residues, crumbs, and moisture around sinks and appliances. Even microscopic food particles can create ant trails that lead entire colonies into your kitchen.
The problem isn’t just cleanliness—it’s biology. Ant scouts leave invisible pheromone trails that guide other ants to food sources. Regular household cleaners don’t eliminate these chemical highways, which is why you keep seeing ants even after cleaning.
Professional ant baiting eliminates the colony at its source, not just the ants you see. Once the queen is eliminated, the trails disappear and your kitchen stays ant-free.
Fire ants require specialized treatment because disturbing their mounds without proper treatment actually makes the problem worse. They sense the disturbance and relocate, often splitting into multiple colonies instead of being eliminated.
Effective fire ant control uses targeted baiting around mounds—not on top. Worker ants carry the bait back to the colony, where it eliminates queens and disrupts the entire colony structure. For immediate results, we combine baiting with mound-drench treatments that penetrate Florida’s sandy soil.
Annual fire ant treatments provide up to 12 months of protection. The key is timing applications before new colonies establish and treating the entire yard, not just visible mounds.
The best outdoor ant control combines perimeter treatments with targeted colony elimination. In Florida’s year-round warm climate, ants remain active constantly, so seasonal treatments don’t work like they do up north.
We create chemical barriers around your home’s foundation, treating entry points where ants typically invade. For existing colonies, we use species-specific baiting systems that target carpenter ants differently than fire ants or sugar ants.
The most effective approach includes quarterly maintenance visits to address new colonies before they establish. This prevents the cycle of recurring infestations that frustrate most homeowners.
Professional ant mound treatment typically shows initial results within 24-48 hours, with complete colony elimination taking 7-10 days. The timeline depends on the ant species and colony size—fire ant colonies can contain hundreds of thousands of ants and multiple queens.
You’ll notice reduced ant activity within the first few days as worker ants carry bait back to the colony. The queen’s elimination happens gradually, which is why complete results take a week or more. This slower process ensures the entire colony structure collapses, not just surface activity.
Rushed treatments that promise instant results often fail because they don’t give the bait time to reach all colony members. Patience during the treatment period leads to months of ant-free results.
Ant baiting systems are far more effective than sprays for permanent colony elimination. Sprays only kill the ants you can see—usually just 10-15% of the total colony. The queen and thousands of workers remain hidden, rebuilding the population within days.
Baiting systems work because they exploit ant behavior. Worker ants carry the bait back to feed the queen and colony, eliminating the source of the problem. Different ant species prefer different baits, which is why professional identification is crucial for success.
The only downside to baiting is patience—results take 7-10 days instead of immediate knockdown. But the tradeoff is months of protection instead of temporary relief.
Ants keep returning because most treatments only address surface activity, not the underlying colony structure. If the queen survives, she continues laying eggs and rebuilding the population. Additionally, many Florida ant species use “budding,” where new queens split off to form satellite colonies.
Another common issue is incomplete treatment of entry points and attractants. Ants follow established pheromone trails, and if these chemical highways aren’t eliminated, new scouts will rediscover your home even after successful colony treatment.
Professional ant control addresses both issues—complete colony elimination plus ongoing prevention. We identify and treat all nesting sites, eliminate pheromone trails, and provide follow-up visits to catch any new activity before it establishes.
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