What Time of Year Are Ants Most Active?

Google “ant season” and you find responses for most times of the year, including December, April, and July. Fact is, there is no single “ant season.” Ants may choose to enter buildings at any time of year seeking shelter from the elements, whether that means rain and cold or dry heat. And, of course, food and moisture are always attractants. You don’t particularly care whether it’s the right season. Discovering wide swaths of ants climbing your door frames, your kitchen cabinets or countertop, or swarming through light sockets is alarming. Anytime you have ants, you have a problem, and you want help.

Why do I Suddenly Have Ants in My House?

Ants are explorers. They scavenge for food to bring back to their colony, which might make your home their #1 target. If you have a nutrient source like crumbs, dog food, or water in an accessible location for ants to reach they can crawl in under door frames and retrieve the food. They’ll eat anything, but they do usually prefer sweets. Make sure to keep lids on food to prevent ants from tracking down your food and taking it for their own.

How to Get Rid of Ants on Your Own

For minor infestations, there are steps you can take by yourself. A good, quick way to get rid of visible columns of ants is to first vacuum them up, according to information published by UC Davis’ Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Remember that you haven’t killed them, and you may wish to change dust bags after you’ve completed your sweep.

You also need to protect yourself from more ants following the first wave. For that, you should wipe up the pheromone trail the ants have left behind with Windex or soapy water. Of course, you should remove any intended “bait” that attracted the ants in the first place by sealing sugar, syrup, honey, and pet food in plastic containers. Using “ant stakes” indoors may seem like a good plan, but consider that you are inviting your “guests” in for a meal. Bait is better placed outside your home, close to observed entry points.

Contact Professional Ant Exterminators

If your problem is bigger than you can handle, or if you don’t have time to deal with it yourself, then call us. We will locate the points of entry and seal them and use the safest means available to stop ants from getting in in the first place. And since the type of necessary treatment differs based upon the variety of ants, our ability to identify the specific type of ant you are dealing with will guarantee a happier solution.

Get Long-Term Ant Protection

If ants are a frequent problem in your home or office, consider contacting us about a long-term pest control service program. That way, we can routinely inspect and monitor your home for ants or any pest infestation before it becomes a major hassle. That likely means savings for you, too. We are Diamond Certified and EcoWise certified, and with ATCO you can be sure we will use the most safest, most effect IPM methods for dealing with your problem.