Ants are a major annoyance to homeowners and are difficult to control. You should not underestimate the importance of good sanitation to eliminate food sources, although good sanitation may not control an ant infestation by itself. Although we do not like sharing our homes with ants, they are beneficial organisms in the balance of nature. In nature, ants greatly reduce the amount of dead and decaying plant and animal organic matter. They also aerate the soil with their nests.
Many ant species have a fondness for honeydew that aphids produce from feeding on plants.
Large numbers of ants crawling on a plant may be a sign of serious aphid infestation. Summary Ant infestation are not easy to control and different strategies should be used depending on nest location and food preferences of the ants. Ants can be controlled with a combination of good sanitation, removing pheromone trails, caulking entry points and eliminating active nests. Insecticide sprays and baits can be used to kill foraging ants and destroy nests, but strategies designed to prevent further infestations should be used in conjunction with chemical treatment. This site is updated weekly with timely topics and current resources.