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To more effectively control ants, you need to understand a few basic facts about their behavior: Ants are social insects that live in colonies. As a result, killing a few isolated ants won't eliminate your ant problem. If they enter your house, they are looking for protection from the weather, food, and water. Most of the ants you see around your home or outside are worker ants, tasked with finding food and bringing it back to the colony. These ants leave behind an invisible chemical trail of pheromones to lead other ants to sources of food. They will travel long distances from the nest to locate food, and don't necessarily travel in a straight line along the way. With the exception of a few species such as fire ants, ants are not aggressive and don't deliver a painful bite or sting. Being aware of where ants are located in your home can help you diagnose and treat the source of your infestation. If the ants you observe inside your home seem to congregate around a window or door, this suggests the ants are currently living outside and traveling inside to locate food. You can probably control ants by sealing off entry points and eliminating food sources. Alternatively, you can attempt to locate and destroy their nest outside. If you notice ants around electrical outlets, in cabinets, or cracks in your floor, they may be nesting somewhere inside your home. Unfortunately, these infestations can be harder to resolve because it's difficult to locate the nest. You can attempt to use bait stations safe for indoor use and get rid of food sources, which should help control the ants. Destroying the nest inside or outside your home will offer the most long-term solution to your ant problem. You can locate an ant nest by observing and following the ants. They usually crawl single file, and you can get a pretty good idea of where they are headed and coming from. Ants, carpenter ants and termites can look similar, but carpenter ants and termites can cause much more serious damage to your home and property. Keep these facts in mind to make sure you are dealing with ants and not carpenter ants or termites: While termites and ants can both have wings when new queens leave after hatching to start a new colony, termite wings are much larger and longer. Ants have a narrow body and waist, while termites are more rectangular and do not have any indentations on the body. Ants are typically more visible than termites. While it is normal to see ants in the open, most termites avoid light and are more reclusive. If you suspect you have a carpenter ant or termite rather than an ant problem, contact a pest control company for an inspection as soon as possible so they can begin treatment before the carpenter ants or termites cause irreversible damage. One of the most effective steps you can take to control ants is to work with a professional pest control company. They will be able to identify, diagnose, and treat your specific ant problem. Different ants may require different types of treatment to control the population. Pest control companies often have access to products that are unavailable to most consumers, and highly effective. Regular pest control visits and treatments can prevent ant problems before they start.
Understand ant behavior. Pay attention to where you see ants in your home. Try to locate their nest. Make sure you aren't dealing with carpenter ants or termites. Work with a pest control company.