Ants can be troublesome if they have infested your house. They generally live in colonies so if you see a couple of ants then be sure that there is a full colony of them somewhere in your house. If you want to get rid of them then you have to go after their colony. These tiny creatures can fit inside any small place or very small cracks in your house. There they form several colonies. The real problem starts with figuring out where their colony is or if there are several others in different places in your house. Here you’ll get to know how to find an ant infestation in a house.
How Can You Trace Ant Colonies?
Tracing ants back to their colony is tough as they can crawl into small places where even your finger can’t fit. Eventually, you’ll lose them and will have to start all over again. But with patience, perseverance and a little bit of luck, you can locate their colony.
Ants usually walk in a zigzag manner in search of more food for their colony. You will rarely find them walking in a straight line. They also tend to leave a trail of pheromones so that other ants can follow them. Most ants don’t just use a single path, one path gets branched into many other parts depending upon the ant and the availability of food.
Never try and follow a single ant as they will lead you nowhere. An ant can get diverted due to various reasons like their search for water or if there’s a sweet-smelling food nearby. Hence it is always advised to follow a group of ants working together. They’re more likely to trace you to the colony.
But how to find an ant infestation in a house?
Well, the answer is simple but the process can be difficult. Ants should be dealt with as soon as you notice them in your house. They are responsible for your damaged furniture and ruined food. Now when this food is ingested by you, the probability of you getting food poisoning is very high. So for your and your family’s health, the removal of ants is very crucial.
- Wood Shaving
If you recently had your house fixed or any furniture-related problem solved by a carpenter then there must’ve been remains of wood shaving. Most ants take home in these wood shavings. These ants are also called carpenter ants. So look for any wood shaving around your house and you’ll find a colony of ants living there. Be careful when dealing with this issue as you might risk getting splinters because of wood shavings.
- Dead Ants Near Windows
You’ll find some ants dead near a window or in some corner of your house. A couple of dead ants mean a colony of ants is nearby. Search that area thoroughly and remove them as you go. Use a disinfectant after the proper removal of these ants.
- In The Kitchen
The most common place to find ant infestation is the kitchen. It’s the biggest source of food for them. Any kind of spill, especially something sweet, will attract these ants in no time. The thought of these small ants crawling through your kitchen counter or the floor can be gross. It’s better to take precautions in this situation, like preventing any spills or not leaving anything sweet in the open.
- From The Backyard To Your House
It is very easy for ants to travel from your backyard and into your house. They’ll enter through any gap or crack. If provided with favourable conditions and complete availability of food, they start reproducing there. With this, they’ll keep increasing in number which in turn, will make it more difficult for you to remove them. This is another answer to the question ‘how to find an ant infestation in a house?’.
- Moist or Damp Places
Food is not the only thing that attracts ants. Moisture also attracts ants. Look for any damp places in your house. For example places near a leaky pipeline, furniture that got into contact with water etc. If you know the source that caused the dampness on the surface then also you will be able to trace ants.
Solution
If any of these ways work out for you then the question of ‘how to remove them?’ arises. And luckily, you can try some homemade tricks. Keep in mind to take precautions as some ants can be toxic and can bite. Their bite can cause rashes and vigorous itching. Wear gloves while dealing with them.
For removing ants from the kitchen or from any other food source they’ve infested you can try sprinkling salt over them. The sprinkling of salt for ant control and removal has been used by many homeowners. Pest control service will always work. It will not only just remove ants but will also remove termites, cockroaches, flies, etc.
Conclusion
Here you got to know ‘how to find an ant infestation in a house?’ Try searching in moist areas, the kitchen, near windows, etc. Well, there are various other places in your house where ants can survive but here we mention the most common places or places you’re most likely to find them. Moreover, it is ideal to call for a professional ant inspection and control service every once in six months.