How To Get Ants Out Of Your Nashville Home

Ants Come In To Grab Food

Ants that live in a nest outside of your home will send workers into your home in search of food sources. These workers can go unnoticed as some ant species are a mere 1/16 of an inch. It is only when hundreds or thousands of them appear, that you start to take notice. Why do hundreds and thousands of ants appear? Because one ant returns to the nest and leaves a chemical trail for other ants to follow. Each of the ants that follow the trail to the food source adds to the chemical trail as they return to the nest. If you remove the food source, you take away the reason ants are coming into your Nashville home in large numbers.

Example

If you or someone else in your home eats an apple and puts it into a trash bin that doesn't get emptied often, it can attract ants as it decays. When you find ants on a food source like this you can simply remove the food source. Those that remain are likely to return to their nest. Any ants that continue to explore the area can be sucked up with a vacuum. Be sure to dispose of the bag outside. Once you're done clean the area to remove the invisible chemical pheromones left by the ants.

Ants Come In To Collect Liquid

Do you know that an ant can pick up a droplet of liquid and carry it? Yup. So, ants don't just come into your home in search of food. They look for water as well. If you have plumbing issues, such as a leaky faucet, garbage disposal, or pipe, ants can be inspired to enter your home in large numbers. Addressing moisture problems can make your home less habitable for ants. This could stop your ant problems without the need for further action. Another, more attractive, way liquid can draw ants into your home is when juices are left on a floor or surface and the juices begin to decay. This decay creates an odor that attracts ants from a distance.

Example

If you set a trash bag down on the floor before you bring it outside, you might create a damp spot on the floor without realizing it. Juices can collect in the bottom of a trash bag and leak out. These decaying juices are a strong attraction for certain ants. If you see ants targeting a moist spot, the solution is fairly easy: Clean the spot and the ants will stop coming inside in large numbers. Suck up any ants that remain and dispose of the bag outside.

Ants Come In Because They Can

Gaps, cracks, and holes allow ants into your Nashville home. These entry points can allow a few worker ants inside to explore your kitchen, pantry, and other common areas, or they can provide certain ant species an invitation to create a nest inside your home.

You can deter ants by:

• Replacing weatherstripping, door sweeps, and screens that are damaged.

• Sealing cracks in your foundation slab or wall.

• Applying a seal around foundation penetrations, such as wire conduits and pipes.

• Replacing rotting wood.

• Filling in holes created by carpenter ants and other wood-destroying pests.

• Protecting weep holes or vents.

Ants Come In Because They're Active Near Your Home

There are conditions that can make the perimeter around your home interesting to ants. If you address these conditions, you can make your perimeter resistant to ant activity. Here are a few examples:

• Standing water will provide a water source and create a damp habitat that is attractive to most ant species. Clean your gutters and remove containers to reduce ants.

• Leaf litter, leaf piles, and leaves that get underneath exterior structures can provide a habitat for ants. Blow leaves out and away from your home.

• An open trash or a dirty trash receptacle can produce an odor that draws ants from a distance. Keep your receptacles free of strong odors and routinely remove trash from your property.

• Plants that are being damaged by aphids, whiteflies, or scales can be attractive to ants because these insects produce honeydew. Keep your plant healthy and wash these insects away with a spray of water to limit the production of honeydew on your plants.

Residential Pest Control In Nashville

As always, the service team here at All-American Pest Control can help you get control of any pest problems you're dealing with. If ants are a problem, we offer interior treatments to arrest ant infestations, and our Perimeter Plus program works to stop ants from getting in. There is no better way to keep ants out of your Nashville home. Reach out to us for immediate assistance and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Nashville.

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