3 Reasons You Keep Seeing Ants In Your Home

It can be alarming when ants infest your trash, counters, or even under the kitchen sink. It may feel like there's no end to the problem. Vacuuming them up and cleaning the area can bring temporary relief, but when another wave of ants arrives, the stress returns. Why do ants keep coming back? There are several reasons why ants might repeatedly invade your home. Let's explore the three main reasons you keep encountering ants and what to do to stop the ant problem from recurring.

Reason 1: Food sources

In the Tucson and Phoenix metro areas, many types of ants are attracted to homes by food sources. Scout ants find food and create an invisible trail of pheromones as they return to the nest. Worker ants then follow this trail and reinforce it as they bring food to the nest. Here are some examples of the food sources that might attract ants:

• Crumbs in the kitchen.
• Spills on the floor, particularly sugary substances.
• Grease and food build-up on the kitchen stove or other appliances.
• Pet food in bowls on the floor.
• Decaying food in the trash can.

Reason 2: Moisture problems

Ants require moisture to survive. If you have a damaged sprinkler system or a plumbing issue, they will likely target your home. In addition, a leaking faucet or shower head can also attract ants into your home. It's interesting to note that an ant can carry a water droplet on its back. Like how they follow food trails, worker ants can also follow a trail of liquid into your home.

Reason 3: Easy to access entry points

Ants get into Arizona homes because they can. Any crack, gap, or opening on the outside of the house will do. Here are a few common ways ants come indoors:

• Through gaps around wires and other utility entrances.
• Underneath doors that have missing or deteriorating sweeps.
• Through doors with damaged weatherstripping.
• Via rips in damaged screens.
• Through unprotected weep holes.

How to correct the issues that attract ants

It doesn’t matter how many cans of Raid you use to eliminate the foraging ants; if you don’t address the conditions mentioned above AND eliminate the entire ant colony, ants will return. So, how do you do that? Here are a few ant prevention tips to implement in and around your home:

• Seal up openings on the exterior of the house, including gaps around utility entrances.
• Trim back tree branches, shrubs, bushes, and other landscape elements so that they do not touch the sides of the house.
• Repair plumbing issues and eliminate sources of water in and around the home.
• Maintain a clean kitchen and house, including washing counters, vacuuming, mopping floors, and cleaning up spills in the pantry.
• Store food in air-tight containers with lids.
• Clean outdoor trash receptacles regularly to dislodge food and trash build-up.
• Keep your patio and other outdoor living spaces clear of food leftovers, empty beverage containers, and spills.
• Contact a pest control company to help you find and eliminate the source of the infestation.

What to do if ants are already active on your property

If you’re already battling ants in the house or yard, contact Northwest Exterminating for relief! Our locally operated pest control company offers home pest control services that eliminate existing ant activity and actively prevent new infestations from happening. And it’s not just ants we treat! Our residential plans cover spiders and other general house-infesting pests, too.

Compare the plans and pricing below, or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Northwest Exterminating; our friendly representatives are here to assist you!