Four Things That Can Draw Ants to Your Home

Seeing ants inside your house can make you think you have a dirty living space. Before you create a pest control plan to fight all the ants that have taken up residence in your home, you must determine what is attracting them indoors. Below are reasons ants are drawn to your home:

Leftover Food

As with other living creatures, ants need to eat to survive. Every colony is composed of hundreds of thousands of ants, which means they need lots of food. Ants are often drawn to your home because of leftover food they can get and take back to their colony. The more food left out on your floor or surfaces the more ants will try to enter your home. To eliminate an ant infestation in the pantry and kitchen, clean up crumbs and spills regularly. Also, ensure food is stored in airtight containers. Veggies and fruits must be stored in the refrigerator. Lastly, wipe down bottles, jam containers, and stovetops that may have sticky or greasy residue. Usually, ants are attracted to anything high in lipids and sugars. 

Window or Door Cracks

Any hole or crack in your door and windows gives ants easy entry into your home.  You can prevent entry by resealing windows and frames to close off undesirable entrances for ants as well as maintain a desired temperature. Also, ensure the bottom of the doors is tightly sealed. 

Plants and Trees

A lot of ants survive by consuming honeydew, which aphids produce. Thus, ants may make their way into your home if you have plants that aphids thrive on. In addition, carpenter ants tend to thrive on decaying logs and can stay in older wood in huge trees. Having trees near your house can make it susceptible to ant invasion. You can prevent ants from entering your house through the garden by planting crops like peppermint, lavender, or rosemary because they can deter these pests.

Leaking Faucets and Pipes

Ants also need a dependable water source to survive. Usually, they migrate toward damp areas in your house to find water. This is the reason you may find ants around leaking pipes and faucets. So, check your sinks and toilets for leaks and make sure you close your doors and windows whenever it snows and rains. In addition, installing a dehumidifier can get rid of excess air moisture, which makes your home less attractive to ants.