Ants often search for conditions that increase their rate of survival. Optimal conditions for ants include a food and water source, shelter, and temperatures deemed favorable. Since ants are cold blooded, they will seek somewhere warm where they can dwell, which may include the inside of your home and you need to call ant control services if you see a few ants in your kitchen and how to remove carpenter ants.
Ants are also omnivores. They forage for their source of food throughout the seasons, but the winter months make it harder for them to find food. As such, they will take up residence within homes since it increases their chances of finding the food and water they need to survive.
You may notice during the cold months that ant activity tends to decrease. You may not see nearly as many ants, if any at all, inside your home. Though they will search for food and water, they are not nearly as active. If, however, you notice a lot of ant activity, it may indicate that they have a colony inside your home.
Although most ants build colonies under the ground, they will sometimes build their colonies inside your home. Locating the ant colony is not all that difficult. In most cases, they will build their colony within your walls, or your doorways and window frames. They try to keep the colony as hidden as possible. It is best to contact professional carpenter ant exterminator Toronto in the Greater Toronto Area to declare your home ant-free as soon as possible!
What Can You Do?
You will want to begin with diminishing food and water sources. Ants are not going to stick around in a place that does not provide them with the nourishment they need to live. To remove their food and water source, you will need to:
- Keep up with dishes – Clean dirty plates, pots, pans, and cups immediately. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink or it will attract hungry household ants.
- Clean up after cooking – Make sure you clean up after every meal. Wipe down your stove, counters, and table. Vacuum or sweep and mop your floors to rid your home of crumbs and other food debris.
- Take out the trash – Empty your trash bin nightly to make sure that ants do not have a viable food source. Use a tight sealing trash bin to minimize attractive smells and access to garbage.
You can also work to remove their water source by addressing leaky or sweaty pipes. You should also wipe your sinks and tub or shower dry nightly. Empty any water bowls belonging to pets each night before you go to bed.
Finally, seal up any cracks that ants use to enter your home. Use a caulk gun, steel wool, or expandable foam to make sure you seal all cracks as tightly as possible. Ensure that all doors and windows seal, too. If necessary, place weather stripping around doors and windows to add a tighter seal.
Last, but certainly not least, contact a professional pest control company to assist you with your ant problem. An exterminator can destroy an ant colony effectively, thus ridding your home of these annoying pests. Within days, you can enjoy an ant-free home. If you suspect you might have an ant infestation, contact the Exterminators: 647-496-2211 to assess the problem and come up with the best solution.
