The most likely explanation is that they are either avoiding cold, wet conditions or have found a source of water in your home during dry, hotter times. Ants are generally relatively dormant during winter and in colder conditions, while becoming more active during the warmer months of October to March.
When their body temperature increases, ants become more active, mate, and produce offspring. It's just part of the natural life cycle. Whether they're searching for water, heat or food, there's a good chance that the comfort of your home will appeal to them.
You've probably noticed ants more commonly come indoors in summer - that's largely because most insects are more active in the warmer months. Ants occasionally come inside in search of water, particularly during dry periods. In this case you may see them in bathrooms or other humid parts of the house.
Ants are attracted to any type of food source, so if your kitchen tops are dirty or there's ready available fruit, sweets or crumbs – they will find their way to it. Ant colonies can consist of thousands or millions of tiny ants, which is why they seem to be everywhere, once you've found your first ant.
Next, ants love heat; that's why you typically see them in the summer months. They are more likely to die off in the winter, unless they are smart enough to seek heat indoors. Some ant colonies have especially good survival instincts, and will head indoors in the winter months in search of heat.
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.
Both cayenne and black pepper repel ants. Ants hate cayenne pepper. Black pepper will work just as well too. Locate the source of the ant infestation problem, sprinkle some pepper around that area and if possible, create a wall that will stop the ants from accessing your household.
Killing ants will, definitely, attract more ants because the dead ants release pheromones that attract or rather alert, nearby ants.
Boiling water
If you notice ant holes near your home, pour boiling water into them. This method will effectively and immediately kill many of the ants inside.
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.
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.
Ants seem to be attracted to the electronic components of your AC unit, and often become stuck in between electrical contact points on the unit. When the ants burrow themselves in these tiny spaces and touch the contacts, it can cause malfunction and even permanent damage to the unit if the pests are never removed.
Another chemical-free way to kill the insects is to use heat. Raupp says you could put it in a warm, 130-degree to 150-degree oven for a while, or seal it in a black plastic bag and set it outside in the sun for a few hours.
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.
Lavender may smell pleasant to humans but it's not so popular with ants, flies, moths, fleas and mosquitoes. A pot near your door can keep ants away; lavender in boiled water is thought to repel ants; and the oil can help to keep skin bite-free.
Ants become the pallbearer
After a few days the dead ant is carried off and placed on the “ant graveyard” by the other dead ants. This may seem like ants have complex feelings and need a few days to grieve before they dispose of the body, but in reality it's far more chemical than that.
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.
Ants are good at communicating, and an ant dying lets its fellow colony members know about death. What is this? Ants, however, do not come to the scene of death to attack you or seek revenge. On the contrary, ants come near the dead and as a response to any danger.
invicta workers do have color vision and have a preference for green, orange and red and least prefer blue. “Many people would not consider studying if ants have color vision because ants generally rely on chemicals instead of vision when exploring their environments,” Carbaugh said.
While ants with normal receptors continued to recognize and fight ants from other colonies, ants with blocked or over-activated receptors displayed dramatically reduced aggressive behavior. “Accepting friends and rejecting foes is one of the most important decisions an ant worker must make,” said Ferguson.
Peppermint essential oil is a natural remedy to prevent ants. Ants cannot stand the smell of mint. Set a few drops of peppermint essential oil on a cotton ball to clean suspected areas such as cabinets where the ants live.