Ants come and go from your house taking food back to the colony. Observing their movements can help you see where they are entering your home. If you know where these pests are coming from, it will be easier to deal with the problem. We’ve gathered information to help you track down where ants are coming from and the location of their nest.
How to Find Where Ants Are Coming From
When ants enter your home, they’re often looking for something to eat. After finding a good food source, they release pheromones to help other members of their colony find it. These ants follow the scent, often forming a line of ants. Following these ants can help you discover how they are sneaking into your home. Ants enter through small cracks, gaps, and holes. When you find the entry point, you can seal it to keep ants out of your house. Following an ant trail can also help you identify the food source that’s attracting the ants.
How to Find an Ant Nest in Your Home
To keep ants from invading your home, you need to be able to locate the nest. Some ants, like carpenter and little black ants, choose to build their nests inside your house. Though these nests aren’t always easy to spot, there are things you can do to find them.
- Follow Trailing Ants: Following an ant trail can also help you find an ant’s nest. Ants carry food back to the nest to share with the rest of the colony. If you spot a trail of ants, you can try to follow them back to their nest. Some ants are active at night, so you may need to pull out a flashlight.
- Listen for Ants: When carpenter ants build nests in walls, they have to excavate to form tunnels. This usually results in a rustling or clicking noise that may be audible. If you suspect an infestation, you can also listen for hollow sounding wood. Tunneling creates spaces in walls, which you can find by tapping on your walls and listening for a hollow sound.
- Look for Signs of Ants: Carpenter ants tend to leave behind piles of sawdust when building nests. Piles of wood shavings are often found near the entrance to the nest. Keep your eyes open for small holes where ants can slip in and out. Spotting dead ants near your windows can also be a clue that a nest is nearby.
Where Do Ants Build Nests In Homes?
Ants are opportunistic, and they’ll build nests wherever they can find a safe place. Each species has its own preference. Little black ants will hide in wall voids, while crazy ants like to nest under carpet. Ants may also hide under wood flooring, behind baseboards and molding, and even between cabinets. Ants are often found in kitchens and bathrooms since these areas provide plenty of sources of food and moisture.
How to Find an Ant Nest in Your Yard
Locating an ant’s nest outside is often easier than finding ants hiding in your home. Check out how to find nests and the best places to look for them.
- Follow Trailing Ants: If you find a trail of ants, you can try to follow them to their nest outside. Ants living in outdoor nests are still likely to come inside for food. This gives you a chance to follow them directly to the entrance of their nest.
- Look for Mounds of Dirt: Many nests outside can be identified by a mound of soil with a hole at the top. These structures serve as the entrance point to the nest that is often several feet underground. They can pop up throughout your yard, and they can even be found in the cracks between pavement.
- Look Under Objects: If there isn’t a noticeable anthill, you may have to do some digging. Ants build nests under things like logs and bricks. Check your yard for items that could act as shelter for an ant colony. Fire ants and carpenter ants like to build nests in rotting wood.
- Keep Watch for Aphids: Aphids are garden pests that enjoy nibbling on various plants. They secrete a sticky, sweet liquid known as honeydew. Ants love this sweet treat, and they’ll form colonies near aphids. If you notice plant damage, see if you can spot these tiny pests. If aphids are in your yard, ants probably aren’t too far from them.
- Check the Exterior of Your House: The exterior of your home can be a perfect place for ants to build a nest. Some ants are known to nest under the siding of homes or between bricks. Ants may also use any cracks found on exterior walls to make their way inside. This often leads to nests being built in wall voids.
How to Treat an Ant Nest
Whether ants have built a nest in your home or in your yard, you’ll want a quick and effective solution. An insecticide dust, like our Spider & Insect Dust, can be used to treat both nests found in wood and soil. You’ll want to carefully squeeze the dust into the entrance hole. This will help to eliminate ants in the nest and provide long-lasting protection.
What to do if you can’t find the Nest
Ants don’t always make their nests easy to find. When this happens, there are still ways you can eliminate an ant infestation. Using an ant bait, like our No Spill Ant Kill, can help you get rid of the ants you can’t see. It is designed to allow ants to carry the bait back to their nest to share with the rest of the colony. This will help to ensure the entire colony is eliminated.
When ants build nests in or near your home, it can often lead to large infestations. Finding where they are located can be tricky but can prove beneficial when trying to eliminate an infestation. If pests are giving you a fit, we’re here to help! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.