Why Ants Love Your Kitchen and How to Get Rid of Them
Last Updated September 5th, 2024
Ants may seem less threatening than some household pests, but they are notoriously frustrating to get rid of. When a single ant finds its way into your home, it's only a matter of time before an entire colony follows.
To keep ants out of your kitchen, discover what's attracting them inside and how you can eliminate invasions for good.
What Ant Species Are Found in the Triad?
Here in North Carolina, we often experience a fairly mild climate with high humidity—which is the perfect environment for pests to thrive. In fact, ants are one of the most common pests that homeowners in the state have to deal with throughout the year. The Triad area specifically is home to an array of different ant species, including
These commonly found ant species live in the soil on your property or make their nests in decaying wood sources. Once inside your kitchen, they can pose serious health risks and structural damage by:
- Spreading bacteria and contaminating food
- Inflicting painful bites on your children and pets
- Weakening wooden structures
- Nesting in walls and foundations, that could lead to costly repairs
So, What Attracts Ants to Your Kitchen?
An ant’s keen sense of smell often lures them into your kitchen with the promise of a steady food supply. You’ll likely find them crawling around your stove, countertops and pantry if you’ve got:
- Piles of crumbs under the kitchen table
- Spilled food or drinks
- Dirty plates stacked in the sink or left out on the counter
- Poorly sealed containers of food
- Dripping faucets or leaky sink pipes
- Dishwashers that don’t completely drain
- Leftover residue in your garbage cans
What Keeps Ants in Your Home?
Before you can squash your ant infestation permanently, you need to understand their colony structure. The worker ants you see represent just a fraction of the total colony, which centers around a rapidly reproducing queen. While DIY treatments may stop visible activity, they fail to target the nearby nest where the true infestation lies. To prevent ants from persistently returning, you must eliminate the entire colony at its source.
What’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Ants?
DIY ant treatments will only provide temporary relief. Professional exterminators like the ones at Terminix have the expertise and specialized products to effectively eradicate ants at the source for long-term protection. Our Integrated Pest Management strategy includes:
- Identifying and locating nest for treatment
- Treating the exterior of your home to prevent ants from getting inside
- Applying products that will kill off the entire colony
- Treating your home regularly to prevent future infestations
Keeping ants out requires ongoing maintenance. With our pest control program throughout the NC Triad, we can also keep your home protected against other common household pests like spiders, roaches, silverfish, beetles, and more. If you're tired of dealing with an ant infestation, get a free quote to see how Terminix Triad can help!