What Causes Ants In Your Home And What To Do About It?

Nothing is more annoying and disgusting in the house than insects that walk around the apartment, leave traces of vital activity, and scare everyone around. These include cockroaches or ants. However, they do not appear anywhere. You still need to make an effort for such residents to wind up in your house. Many things can attract tiny ants into homes. Some of the most common include:

1. Food crumbs or spills on floors or countertops;
2. Pet food is left out overnight;
3. Sticky spills or leaks under the kitchen sink;
4. Open garbage cans or containers;
5. Piles of dirty laundry.

They can be challenging to get rid of and always seem to show up at the worst possible time. What causes ants in the house, and what can you do to eliminate them? Read the article to get all answers. I will cover all working, simple and cheap methods to get rid of ants in your house and discuss what they love and don’t and the peculiarities of different species of ants.

Briefly About Tiny Ants

Most of the ant species have things in common. For example, they build their nests outdoors but forage for food indoors. There are things you may want to know about them:

Ant Classifications

There are over 12,000 species of ants worldwide, but only a few hundred infest homes. Only a small number of these infest homes. The most common type of ant found inside houses is the carpenter ant. 

Other common types include:

• Odorous house ants;
• Pavement ants;
• Argentine ants;
• Pharaoh ants.
• Crazy ants.

If you’re unsure what type of ant you’re dealing with, you can take a sample to your local cooperative extension office for identification. Once you know what kind of ant you’re dealing with, you can choose the best option for proper ant elimination.

Pheromones

Ants communicate with each other through pheromones. This is how they find food and water sources and their way back to the nest. When ants sense pheromones, they follow the trail until they reach their destination. If you see a line of ants marching into your home, they’ve likely picked up a scent trail left by another ant. To break the trail, you can wipe down surfaces with vinegar or wash them with soap and water. You can also vacuum up ants and their pheromone trails.

Nests

Ants live in colonies, meaning they have a nest nearby. The size of the nest will depend on the species of ant. Some nests can be as small as a few inches, while others can be much larger. Finding and destroying the nest is essential when dealing with an infestation of ants. Otherwise, the ants will keep coming back. To find the nest, follow the trail of ants back to its source. Once you’ve found the nest, you can treat it with an insecticide or call a professional pest control company.

Causes Of Ants In The House And How To Prevent Their Appearance

Ants everywhere. What are they doing in my house? How did they get here? Why are there so many of them? No one likes finding ants in their home, but unfortunately, it is a common problem. There are a few things that can attract ants into your house:

1. Food Sources

One of the main reasons ants infest homes is they’re looking for food. They’re attracted to anything sweet, like honey, syrup, and sugar. They are also drawn to other food that contains high amounts of protein or fat, such as meats and grease.

On the other hand, ants don’t like strong smells. This is why they are repelled by mint, menthol, and eucalyptus. Ants also don’t like citrus fruits. The acidic smell of oranges, lemons, and limes confuses them and prevents them from being able to communicate with each other via pheromones.

So, to help prevent ants from infesting your home, be sure to:

• Wipe up spills and crumbs immediately;
• Store food in airtight containers;
• Empty garbage cans regularly;
• Start eating more citrus fruits.

2. Water Sources

Another reason ants infest homes is because they’re looking for water. To help prevent ants from infesting your home, be sure to:

• Fix any leaks or drips under the kitchen sink;
• Empty pet food and water bowl regularly.

If you find ants in your home, don’t panic. There are some things you can do to get rid of them. Taking simple preventive measures and using the right tools and techniques can eliminate ants from your home.

3. Weather

Ants are attracted to light and are more active in warm weather, so infestations are more common in the spring and summer. This is also the reason why you often see them near windows or light indoors. Unfortunately, if you live in an area with a mild climate, you may have to deal with ants year-round.

The Most Common Places That Suffer From Infestation Of Ants

Ants will infest any part of the house where they can find food and water. However, some areas are more likely to be infected than others. The most common places ants invade include:

• The kitchen;
• The pantry;
• Underneath sinks;
• Near garbage cans;
• Pet food bowls;
• Near water sources.

To prevent ants from infesting your home, keep these areas clean and free of crumbs and spills. Store food in airtight containers and empty garbage cans regularly.

What Can You Do To Get Rid Of Them?

Once you’ve determined what’s attracting ants into your home, you can take steps to eliminate them. Some of the most effective methods for getting rid of ants include:

1. Cleaning up food and water sources. Be sure to wipe up spills and crumbs, store food in airtight containers, and regularly empty garbage cans;
2. Trap. Traps baited with sugar or honey can effectively get rid of ants;
3. Applying insecticide. Insecticide sprays and powders can be used to kill ants on contact. Be sure to follow the label instructions carefully.

Once ants have infested your home, it can be challenging to get rid of them. If you’re unsure what type of ant you’re dealing with in your house, you can also take a sample to your local cooperative extension office for identification. Once you know what kind of ant you’re dealing with, you can choose the best option for you.

The next step is to find the nest and destroy it. If you don’t eliminate the nest, the ants will keep coming back. To find the nest, follow the trail of ants back to its source. Once you’ve found the nest, you can treat it with an insecticide or call a professional pest control company.

There are some different products you can use to get rid of ants. These include:

• Ant baits;
• Insecticides;
• Gels;
• Foams;
• Dust.

When using any of these products, follow the directions on the label carefully. Otherwise, you may not be effective in getting rid of the ants.

If you’re still having trouble getting rid of ants in your house, you can call a professional pest control company. Pest control companies have the experience and knowledge to eliminate even the most stubborn infestations.

Bottom Line

The best way to deal with an ant infestation is to prevent it from happening in the first place. To do this, you need to make your home uninviting to ants. Here are some tips:

• Keep food in airtight containers;
• Empty garbage cans regularly;
• Wipe up spills and crumbs immediately;
• Store pet food in sealed containers;
• Seal cracks and holes in the foundation and exterior walls;
• Fix any leaks or drips;
• Replace weatherstripping around doors and windows.

So, keep ants out of your home for good by taking these simple preventive measures.

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