The only creatures on Earth that will likely never be on the endangered species list are the ants. They can be found anywhere; just leave crumbs of food around, have a picnic or grow a garden. One scout finds a crumb and calls the whole fleet to come out.

The little pests are more tenacious than pit bulls, but there are ways you can stop these pests from entering your house and making it their own.

1. Follow the Trail

Follow a trail of ants back to the nest; it could be outside buried in the ground or inside one of your walls. Mark the area and begin killing the ants in plain sight. Scouts, especially when you see one or two, should never be allowed to return to the nest, because the scout ants secrete a trail for the others to follow and invade your home. There are a few ways to kill scouts quickly.

• With your finger
• Using a flyswatter
• Using bug spray
• With a vacuum cleaner

Do not assume that killing the visible ants will win the battle; they will send out more. If you use a vacuum, empty the bag into outdoor trash cans.

2. Eliminate The Bait

Clean up all crumbs from the floor, wipe all sink and counter surfaces dry and elevate pet bowls off the floor. Routinely inspect and clean cabinets and pantries. Place all food in airtight containers or bags. This eliminates food and water sources for ants. If the scouts find nothing, they will hunt elsewhere (i.e. some other home). Since ants are attracted to the scent left by the scouts, eliminate their trail by cleaning the area with a solution of bleach and mild soap.

3. Create Barriers To Entry

Look around your home and you will find a multitude of places ants can enter. Caulk around windows and door jambs, add weather stripping to doors, windows and the junction where walls and floors meet. In addition to keeping ants out, caulking also makes the house more energy efficient. Do not forget to caulk around outlets, as they are a favorite entry point for ants.

4. Eliminate The Nest

There are many different opinions about how to kill ants and eliminate the nests. To effectively kill the entire colony, the queen has to be killed. She will not be seen on the food trail with the worker ants. Instead, she is usually in the lowest and deepest chamber underground. This can be several inches to several feet deep, depending on the species.

Digging up the yard or tearing open walls may not be desirable for getting rid of ants. A host of commercial products including sprays, poison baits and traps are on the market today. There are also many different herbal combinations for those who wish to use less or non-toxic methods to eliminate ant colonies.

5. Contact Professional Exterminators

If the problem seems overwhelming, or nothing seems to be working, it is time to contact a professional extermination service. This is also advisable in the case of fire ants, whose bite carries venom.

For more information about stopping ants in your home, contact Buddies Exterminating LLC at 702-878-3998.  Your Buddies’ technician will inspect the ants, identify the species and begin the process of pest control. We explain the products used, the extermination time frame and how often treatments need to be repeated. We are armed & ready to help you live in a pest-free home.

Updated 1/22/21