You’ve killed them once; you’ve killed them twice. Why do these ants keep coming back to your home? Ants can be tricky to completely eliminate from your home, and here are a few reasons why.

Your home still provides basic necessities.

Just like with any other pest, ants need food, water, and shelter. If your house provides a food source, the ants will continue to invade. For this reason, one of the most effective ways to eliminate ants from your home is to remove their reason for being there. While exterminating ants in the home will reduce their numbers, other colony members will likely return to keep the provisions coming. To keep ants from coming back, keep food out of their reach.

Solution

Food water, and shelter reward ants for invading your home. Take these steps to take away their motivation to keep coming back.

Wipe down kitchen countertops and sweep the kitchen floor regularly.
Store food, both for humans and pets, in airtight containers.
Clean up spills and crumbs quickly and thoroughly.
Don’t allow standing water to collect in your basement or crawlspace.
Seal off windows and doors, and repair any cracks in your foundation.

The colony is still alive.

Ants live in colonies with a vast number of members. For this reason, it’s common to kill a dozen or more ants in your home only to return and find that a dozen or more have taken their place. To be effective, extermination must consist of more than simply killing ants as they are found.

Solution

The most efficient way to exterminate a colony is with bait. Place ant bait in the areas with ant activity. Ants will eat the bait, return to the colony, and poison the rest of their nestmates. You may have to try several different types of bait before the ants will take it. Once you’ve found a variety that suits the ants, they’ll bring the poison-laced bait back to the nest and take care of the problem themselves.

Treatment varies by species.

Different types of ants require different types of treatment. For example, run-of-the-mill ants like the tiny black ones you see crawling across picnic blankets are typically only in search of sugar and other sources of food. Their presence, though a nuisance, isn’t necessarily a sign of anything more serious. Conversely, carpenter ants, which seek out decaying wood, require a much more dedicated extraction. Because of this, it’s helpful to know what type of ant you’re dealing with. A pest control professional can help you identify the ant’s species and develop the most effective extermination plan for that type.

Solution

When you notice an ant problem in your home, jot down a few notes. Size, color, and behavior can all be helpful clues in identifying the species. If you’re having a hard time overcoming the ants invading your home, contact a pest control professional. A pest control technician will be able to formulate a plan specifically for the ants you are dealing with.

If you’re fighting a losing battle against the ants in your home, contact the experts at Springer. Our team of pest control professionals will help you eliminate your ant problem and prevent a future one from developing. Set up your free inspection now!