Ant Pest Control FAQ

Description:Homeowners are often stunned to discover that ants have invaded their homes. This Ant FAQ answers Houstonians most pressing Ant Control questions.

Answers to Ant Control’s Top Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled the top 4 questions homeowners in our pest control service area ask regarding ants in their homes.

For a complete list of our services please refer to this page.

Why Do I Suddenly Have an Ant Infestation?

There are several reasons you are suddenly battling an ant infestation, and one of the ways to combat them is to eliminate the source that led to their arrival. The two most common reasons ants enter a home are food and weather.

• Food – Ants are constantly looking for food, as they are considered “opportunistic feeders”. If you have an infestation of ants, it’s because they find themselves a source of food somewhere in the home. While they’ll eat anything they come across, sweets are their go-to such as honey, syrup and other sweet foods. However, they’ll also raid the trash to find fruit, bread and leftover meat. They’re not particularly picky!
• Water – Another reason they’ll come inside and set up a home inside your home is water. Like everything else, ants also need water to live. Just a minute amount of water is enough for the colony to survive. Ants will thrive if you have a leaky sink or a refrigerator that pools condensation.
• Weather Changes – You can’t change the weather, but it’s the biggest reason ants will invade a home. They will look for cover when the weather gets cold and rainy. Despite this, most people notice the infestation during the summertime. This is mainly due to high insect activity during the season. Ants will come inside to find water, especially when little to no rain has fallen. It’s not uncommon to see them in the bathrooms or other humid areas.

What Are the Signs of An Ant Infestation?

If you see ants outside your house, it won’t be long before they get inside. If you’re out in the garden and see more ants than usual, ants grouping together or large mounds of dirt, you have an infestation.

Ants will come inside through walls and voided areas of the home, especially if they have found a food and water source that offers them protection from outside.

How to Identify How Ants Came Inside My Home?

The ant scent trail often begins from a gap or crack in a wall or floor, with ants typically crawling near baseboards. Any unsealed exterior holes are also entry points. For example, your water hose spigot is a possible entry point.

How Do I Protect Your Home from Future Ant Infestations?

The best way to prevent future infestations is to hire a professional pest control company to inspect your home regularly. In the meantime, there are things you can do to prevent ants from making your home their home.

• Look for any possible entry points that caused the first ant infestation. Use an adhesive or foaming spray to seal holes or cracks in the walls, foundation or floors. Replace seals on windows and doors.
• Use airtight containers to store your shelf-stable goods such as sugar, flour, etc. Be sure to wipe down, sweep up and vacuum any surfaces where there is sugar, grease or other foods.
• Buy trashcans with a tight lid, such as the heavy-duty step-pedal metallic trashcans. You also want to keep the trash can away from an exterior wall, as the smell can lure the ants inside.
• Inspect appliances for leaks and walls and floors for water damage to eliminate the water source. Have these addressed quickly to reduce the chance of an infestation.

When to Call an Ant Control Exterminator

You can’t change the weather as much as people would love to. But, tackling the other sources of an ant infestation can lower your chances of battling them in the future. Should you have an infestation, be sure to call in a professional ant control company. Hartz Pest Control in Houston to help you get rid of them and identify how they got in your home in the first place.

For more tips on how to get rid of ants refer to this consumer reports article.