Ants are looking for two things in your home: food and water. "Toilets, bathrooms are often areas where you'll get a lot of ants," Mr Goodfellow said. "A bit of water in your kitchen or syrups, they'll soon track inside to it." Even the cleanest of houses can have ant issues.
The Ants Are Looking for a Source of Water
Sometimes, ants aren't interested in the food you have in the house, but a reliable source of water, especially during the hot season, when temperatures are extreme. Ants can use a leaking pipe or a faulty faucet to drink water, so make sure your plumbing is ok.
However, unfortunately just cleaning up after them won't get rid of ants if you have an infestation.
Everyone gets the occasional ant in their house — it's only natural! Insects can sneak in through open doors or windows, so you're never going to prevent bugs enitrely.
Whenever there's a sudden ant infestation, the most likely cause of it is that there's food somewhere in your house for them. Most ants are opportunistic feeders; they'll eat just about anything. But they usually prefer sweets.
Ants are opportunistic, and they'll build nests wherever they can find a safe place. Each species has its own preference. Little black ants will hide in wall voids while crazy ants like to nest under carpet. Ants may also hide under wood flooring, behind baseboards and molding, and even between cabinets.
Here's the thing about ants: They never go away completely. And you don't necessarily want them to. Ants help control other pest populations and enrich the soil. But you still shouldn't have to deal with ants in your home or the parts of your yard where you spend time.
When you see an ant or two in your home or office, it's not usually something that raises an internal alarm. Ants are small and can make their way inside, so most people think it's not a big deal – but seeing just one ant can indicate that you are on your way to having a full-blown ant infestation.
Ants found inside a home are generally not harmful to humans. In fact, every ant in the colony has a specific job. Scouts are sent out to find food and water. If a small amount of nourishment is found, a few carry the bounty back to the colony and more ants find their way to the feast.
To get rid of ants, start by mopping the floor at least once a day. Mopping and vacuuming help to remove the ants' pheromone trails. Cleaning and mopping will also rid your home of the food and crumbs that attract the ants.
Diatomaceous Earth is one of the most effective ant-killers out there, and placing them in the ant entryways can solve the problem of “how to get rid of ants permanently”. Diatomaceous Earth is made from remains of diatoms. Basically, by sprinkling them, ants dry and die.
Peppermint
Peppermint is a natural insect repellent that may effectively deter ants and other bugs, such as mosquitoes. To use peppermint essential oil as an ant deterrent, complete the following steps: Mix 10 to 20 drops peppermint essential oil with 2 cups water in a clean plastic spray bottle.
Because ants swarm, once you have an infestation, they can be difficult to dislodge. It takes vigilance and a combination of treatments using both home and perimeter insect control, but an ant problem can typically be resolved within a week or two. Follow-up prevention is key to ensure that they do not return.
Listen to the Walls
Carpenter ants are primarily active at night, so you may hear rustling noises as they build their nests. You could also try knocking on your walls to see if they sound hollow. If you know that the wall was once made of solid wood, a hollow sound indicates a carpenter ant or a termite infestation.
Small piles of dirt usually found around nest sites can be indicative of an ant infestation.
It is advised not to squash ants, doing so will only release pheromones and trigger more ants to come to the location and cause more trouble to you and your family. Ants are known to pack a deadly bite that causes excruciating pain for a short time.
Different Species Have Different Lifespans
Another important factor affecting longevity of ants is species. For comparison, odorous house ant workers, a commonly seen ant inside homes, tend to live about two to three years, while a fire ant worker lives only about five weeks.
Two of the best ways to eliminate ants are Borax and diatomaceous earth. Essential oils, including peppermint and clove, are a natural way to repel and kill ants. Food and moisture attract ants, so keep your home clean and dry to get rid of ants permanently.
Signs of Carpenter Ant Damage and Infestations
Spotting large black ants in your house. Finding piles of wood shavings or sawdust beneath wooden areas like baseboards, door jambs, and window sills. Seeing long ant trails or ant paths on your lawn.
Preparing For Ant Season - When Is Ant Season? As the weather starts to warm up in the spring, ants begin to wake from hibernation and become more active, and they've got one thing on their minds: food.
To make matters worse, the ants are more active at night than in the daytime and some colonies go dormant during the winter. (The colony is most active during the spring and summer.)
Ants like living in warm environments but do not like extreme temperatures, whether too hot or too cold. During the winter season, ants will more likely come into your home, as opposed to summer. The reason being because they cannot survive in low temperatures.