I Have Ants – What Should I Do Now?

We just walked into the house and noticed that we had ants running all over the place. Unless you are blessed to have an super ant fighter such as my wife you will probably ask the question.

What do we do now?

  1. The most obvious reason for the presence of ants is open sugar containers, food left uncovered or dirty areas that are sweet and attractable to ants. It is important that you look all over the home to determine if the ants are specifically located in one area or are a common occurrence throughout the home.
  2. If the ants are located and moving in an obvious path, follow the path to find the final goal of these marching ants. Normally, you will find that candy bar that was left by the kids, or yourself or spilled sugar or maple syrup. The ants will for the most part, congregate around the sweet by-products of food.
  3. Depending upon your ambition, the number of ants as well as the locations of the ants, it is very possible to solve the ant problem on your own. Travel to the local supermarket, hardware store or large box home goods store and purchase ant spray and ant traps. By following the directions on the labels you will be able to stop the ant invasion and eliminate future infestations.
  4. However, if it is apparent that the ants are more than a few or simply focused on the lost candy bar, they may have infested the house with eggs and you will have ants throughout the home. This issue is usually obvious by witnessing the number of ants, there general locations throughout the home and the actual number of little critters crawling around.

If the application of ant spray and traps is either not feasible or desirable, or the ants still keep on marching, then a call to the local exterminator is in order. In most cases one administration of the proper spray or ant poison will take care of the issue. The professional exterminator will also be able to guide you in the future applications of spray and the scheduling of general pest maintenance around the home.

In most situations, the call resulting in the fix will be the easiest and most reliable method for solving your ant issue. If you do decide to hire a professional, you might consider spending the few additional dollars for that professional to review all of the possible pest issues that may be present within the home. They may spot another issue that is ready to become obvious in the near future.


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