The signs of an ant infestation

Ants are common household pests, like termites and rodents. And just like these pests, ants can be quite industrious.

Ants come in different types, and carpenter ants have been noted to have the most devastating effects. This type will nibble at your furniture and could be very destructive in your home.

Fortunately, ants which infest the home are more interested in sugar and small pieces of food. They are not really dangerous, but they can be quite irritating to have in your home. To make matters worse, they are able to reproduce fairly quickly.

It is important to note that ants don’t usually come out at the same time. For this reason, a single ant could indicate that there are hundreds more.

So, how exactly can you determine that you have an ant infestation in your home?

Ants Are Carrying Food Around Your House

Ants are quickly attracted to sugary foods, so they will naturally form a trail carrying the bits of food whenever you leave the food open. The same will happen when you accidentally drop some pieces of food.

A trail should indicate to you that there is an infestation in your home. You should note that ants can carry many times their weight, so with a large enough population, they can clear your leftovers quickly, without your noticing.

Also, remember that a small visible population indicates that hundreds or thousands of other ants are hiding in your property.

A Nest Has Developed

Ants will usually travel long distances in search of food, but if they have a consistent supply of food near your property, they will create a nest close by.

It is possible to find out whether or not there is an ant nest near your house. First, you should look around for dead ants. They will normally die around their nests.

Another method is by placing sugary foods like jelly in the house and make sure it is accessible to the ants. The ants will quickly show up and create a trail leading back to their nests.

The most common places where you will find ant nests are in foundation walls, under concrete slabs, inside walls, on insulation, and in rotten window frames.

It is easy to clear the entire population once you find out where the nest is. All you need is a pest control method like a poisoned bait. Over time, the ants will consume the bait and…
 
 
Continue reading and learn more about ants on James Watt’s blog