Ants usually move inside looking for better conditions, moisture, food, shelter, favorable temperatures and shelter. Word spreads quickly around the ant colony, and soon you could have a tiny army following the scent trail into your home. However, because the kitchen is a food-preparation area, you’re likely to be reluctant to use pesticides or sprays to get rid of ants, for fear of contaminating your food. By taking practical steps to eliminate the ants and then ensuring you prevent a re-infestation, you can soon take control of the problem.
Little black sugar ants typically nest in woodwork or masonry but sometimes come indoors and they are known to nest in the soil and under yard debris. Inside the house, little black ant infestation is usually the result of improper food storage.Little black ants prefer to live outdoors in decaying wood, but will also build their nests in cracks in walls or cement.
Ants are certainly a nuisance, but are they dangerous in any way? For the most part, if you have a few little ants in the house, it’s not really a big deal, but certain types of ants can cause real problems if left untreated.
Ants can contaminate food with bacteria, damage structures by hollowing out wood for nesting carpenter ants
The ants we consider to be sugar ants are actually pavement ants or pharaoh ants both common household ants. Pavement ants are black or reddish brown with pale legs while pharaoh ants are yellow or light brown.Sugar ants also come from existing nests inside your home. Their nests are typically in undisturbed spaces, such as inside walls or in basements.Before getting rid of sugar ants, first locate and then follow their visible trail as far as you can this will help you determine their entry point into your home and give you a starting point for remediation. After locating the trail and entry point, decide which type of natural or chemical method you want to use.Most sugar ants come from outside your home. They have about four to five times more odor receptors than other insects, and can smell food and follow scent trails through cracks, crevices, vents, and other openings in your home and foundation. Only one ant needs to find an entry point. Once an ant finds a food or water supply, it lays a pheromone trail a basic scent trail for other ants to follow.Pests, such as pavement ants, are attracted to moisture. To prevent black pavement ants, eliminate standing water around the home. Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house. pavement ants use these branches to get into your home. Make sure that there are no cracks or little openings around your house. Ensure firewood and building materials are not stored next to your home because pavement ants like to build nests in stacks of wood. Indoors, clean up spills and crumbs 98126.