Some of the most common household pests are ants. Fortunately, these insects don’t carry disease, but they are still a nuisance for homeowners. Plus, if you’re dealing with carpenter ants, they can do some serious damage to your house.
Every once in a while, you may notice a few here and there parading across your window sill or along the kitchen floor. However, you may also encounter a sudden ant infestation and realize that you have hundreds of these pests taking over your home.
Where do all of these ants come from? How are they able to get into your home and what can you do about them?
Read on to learn everything you need to know about sudden ant infestations.
What Causes a Sudden Ant Infestation?
Why did all of these ants suddenly appear? There are a few factors that can lead to a sudden ant infestation. Typically, more than one of these factors are in play at the same time, but let’s take a look at them individually.
Changes in Weather
Believe it or not, studies have found that weather is the cause of ant infestations more than any other factor. When things turn cold and wet outdoors, ants are far more likely to head indoors. In Utah, things can get pretty cold and wet starting in late fall and ending in early spring.
Easy-to-Penetrate Properties
Ultimately, ants need a way in. These tiny insects can make their way into just about any home, but if your home is particularly accessible for insects, you’re more likely to have a full-blown infestation on your hands, rather than just an ant or two.
How are ants getting in? A lot of times, ant infestations occur in homes with cracked foundations or old, hole-ridden brickwork. However, they can also get in through windows and doors that are poorly sealed, which is often the case in older homes or homes that haven’t been renovated in some time.
Hospitable Conditions for Ants
As you can tell, even a spotless home can attract ants. That being said, they’re going to stick around if they find your home to be especially hospitable.
Ants will eat most food, but they do look for sources of sugar and fat, in particular. You may find them in your pantry raiding your honey and syrup or in your trash looking for leftover meat, bread, or fruit.
Ants also need a source of water to survive. It doesn’t take much water to keep an entire colony going, so if your sink drips or your refrigerator pools condensation, your ant infestation is going to be happy.
How Can You Get Rid of an Ant Infestation?
Getting rid of an ant infestation isn’t easy. There are sprays, bombs, and traps that you can buy at the store. However, sprays and bombs are hazardous when used by someone other than a professional and traps aren’t going to cut it if you have hundreds or thousands of ants crawling around.
Plus, a lot of these store-bought solutions don’t account for the ants you can’t see. Ants can burrow into nooks, crannies, crawl spaces–even the walls. They also lay eggs at a rapid rate, and if your ant-killing spray doesn’t account for eggs, you’re going to have a whole new infestation in a matter of days.
Rather than wasting time, effort, and money on ineffective solutions, your best bet is residential ant control. We know where ants hide, where they lay their eggs, and how they’re getting in. We also have the safest options for clearing out infestations and will leave your family feeling safe and sound.
How Can You Prevent Future Infestations?
The best way to prevent a future ant infestation is to get regular inspections from a professional pest control company. However, there are a few steps that you can take to make your home less ant-friendly.
First, address any points of entry your last infestation took advantage of. Replace the seals on your doors and windows and use a foaming spray or other adhesive to seal off any cracks or holes in your walls, floors, and foundation.
Then, tackle any of the conditions that make your home a happy one for ants to dwell in.
Consider keeping some of your shelf-stable goods, like sugar and other sweeteners, in airtight containers. Make sure to vacuum, sweep, or wipe down surfaces that have traces of food, grease, or sugar on them after you cook or eat.
If you noticed ants in your indoor trashcan, consider getting a trashcan with a tighter lid. Heavy-duty metallic trashcans with step pedals tend to offer the most security from indoor pests.
If you have any leaky appliances or spot any water damage on your walls or floors, have them inspected and find out the source of the water. Address that source so that you don’t end up with an ant oasis in your sink or on your floor.
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about the changing weather patterns! Addressing these other factors is the best way to prevent future infestations.
Let Us Help You Protect Your Home from Pests
Nothing can throw off your mood like a sudden ant infestation. Where on earth do they all come from? How did they get in?
We hope we’ve helped you solve the mystery of the sudden ant infestation. Now, we’re here to take care of it once and for all. Contact us to learn more about our services and pricing and schedule your pest control appointment today.