When you find an ant in your house

• Posted on May 16, 2016
• by mikew
• in Fix It & Use It
• No Comments.

We have a lot of aunts who visit our house and I can say honestly that they are not a problem. We love Jenny, Becky, Bethesda, Katy, Aunty Julie and Aunt Natty to name a few. What about “ant” problems? First, truth be told, ants are not infringing on our territory we have built our homes on their land. Second, there are lots of parables and lessons to be learned about ants so be grateful for a wonderful teaching moment – but I’m sure that won’t fly in the heat of the moment. So what to do? Remain calm. Ants come and often go. The four most common ants I have encountered in homes are these.

Thatching ants – the ones we used to burn with a magnifying glass as a kid. Sometimes you’ll see their huge nests in the woods or piles of grass clippings. They are harmless to us and our homes.

Sugar ants – these are the ones that crash picnics and show up in the kitchen to enjoy sweet things. Clean up the food source and they disappear. They are super small and seem really delicate in appearance. They are usually found in kitchen, near pet food dishes and exploring places where human food is stored.

Moisture ants – these are attracted to moisture and can create havoc in walls, floors and crawlspaces. These tiny little black ants need water to survive. Solve the water problem and they go away.

Carpenter ants – the grand-daddy of ant problems (pictured above!). These are why I provide a structural pest inspection in every inspection. They follow branch lines, inhabit rotting stumps and firewood piles, and follow trails through beauty bark to our siding, and chow down on cardboard boxes and cellulose materials left in our crawlspaces. They are usually the big ones we find.

Here’s what to do:

1. Follow the ant. Where is it going and where is it returning to? Figure out how they are getting in.
   Watch for other ants.
2. Give me a call and I will be glad to help you out with advice or even stop by to look at the problem.
3. Gather information and document the critters. Collect an ant in a plastic baggie if you are brave enough! Like visiting the doctor, the more information you can provide on the problem the better we WDO inspectors are at diagnosing the problem.
4. The LAST step… Contact a pest control treatment company. Be sure the company is ready to deal with the source of the issue and not just spray chemicals wherever there is a problem. If the cause is not identified and remedied there will be many more costly visits in the future. Do not hesitate to get a second opinion before you spend money on expensive treatments or repairs.