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Ants are nasty little creatures. Do you know what attracts ants to set up shop in your home? Here are some interesting facts worth learning about.
There are over 10,000 known ant species globally, but in the United States, there are about 1,000 species. As a common household pest, most people don’t enjoy having ants in or around their home.
You may want to know what can you do at home to avoid ants. If you already have them, what can you do to get them out? Learn about what attracts ants and how you can get rid of them below!
What Attracts Ants to Your Home?
- Food Around the House
There are specific foods that ants are certainly attracted to, so avoiding leaving them out is important to avoid an infestation. You should learn to properly package and store foods so that ants are unable to find them.
- Safe Nesting Grounds
Not all ants build their nests under the ground’s surface. Some of them like to make nests in safe and secure areas, like your home’s baseboards or foundation. It’s very difficult to be able to determine each and every entry point in your home, but ants are small enough that they can easily get in and stay put once they are there.
- Leaking Water
Ants need water if they are going to be able to build a colony and stay in one location after nesting. It has to be readily available to them to make it a good nesting location. If the area around your home has dry conditions, ants may come into your home trying to find water. In fact, Stanford University conducted a study that found ant infestations often occur due to certain types of weather.
- Use of Pesticides
If you’re using pesticides on your lawn, ants want to get away from it. The closest non-treated area is probably going to be inside your house. Ants are likely to start popping up inside your home if you are treating your lawn or yard with pesticides.
How to Remove Ants from Your Home
Removing ants from the home is possible, but the method you use will depend on why you have the infestation in the first place. If you want to know how to get rid of ants, determine the cause and then take action.
Infestations Caused by Food
Start storing all of your food in containers that have airtight lids. You will want to look for containers that are made of thick plastic or glass for the best protection. Remember to store your trash correctly as well! Use trashcans with lids inside and outside.
Infestations Caused by Nesting
You probably won’t see each entry point that ants may have because, after all, they are quite small and can fit in a lot of places. You still want to cover as many entry points as you can. Go throughout the house’s exterior and use caulk (or something similar) to block each crack or gap you notice.
Infestations Caused by Water
Ants like to hang out around bathrooms and kitchens because they have easy access to water. Check your pipes for leaks and flooding. If you have leaks and standing water, you need to fix those issues immediately before you can stop the ants.
Infestations Caused by Pesticides
Try using a more natural pest control method if you have ants that are avoiding pesticides.
There are plenty of options out there to try and if one doesn’t work, you can try another until you find what works for your home.
Now that you know more about what attracts ants, you are better prepared to get rid of them! Taking the necessary steps before you have an ant infestation is a good idea to ensure you don’t have to deal with it later. If you’d like to get some more daily home tips, check out our website and see what you can find!
