With an estimated 22,000 species worldwide, ants are vital to the planet’s many ecosystems. From controlling other pests to aerating soil and serving as a food source, they play numerous essential roles that help people and the environment. Of course, they’re generally unwelcome indoors, and when they get into your home, they can be a major problem.
Coexisting peacefully with this insect family is important, so it’s best to keep your distance. Here are a few ways ants might be making the gap uncomfortably close by entering your home.
Leaky Entryways
Ants are small, so they can enter through cracks and split seams in caulking, window frames and similar building members. According to the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Program, potential entry points may also include pipes and wires that enter a home, and ants often follow such paths like miniature highways.
Trees and Plants
Many ants feed off of honeydew, a sticky residue left behind by pest insects such as aphids. Ants may follow these food sources and climb into trees or bushes. If these plants have branches that touch your structure, they could serve as the perfect access point.
In Insulation and Wood
Your building may play host to carpenter ants that chew up timbers and use the resulting sawdust to fabricate nests. Other carpenter ants do the same with the insulation in your home. If you have areas with exposed insulation and beams, such as basements or unfinished rooms, ants may naturally find your home attractive.
Foundation
Foundations and concrete slabs are known to be home to yellow ants. Yellow ants don’t typically cause serious damage, but they can be a prolific annoyance. Also, if they’re able to enter, other species that wreak even more havoc can usually do the same. Cracks, improperly sealed joints and pipe entryways are all good places to search for these insects.
Garbage and Debris
It’s important to remember that contrary to what many homeowners believe, ants aren’t really that enthusiastic about getting inside human dwellings. They’d generally prefer to be outside, but people have a habit of keeping readily-available food sources all over the place, which makes your residence fairly attractive. Leaving lawn debris, food waste and other forms of consumable garbage near your home can attract ants and similar pests.
Ants perform many necessary jobs, but eating your food and crawling all over your home shouldn’t be among their functions. If you’re having trouble figuring out where your unwanted guests are coming from or how to halt their progress, get in touch with Abarb Pest Services for all your ant control needs.
