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How to manage when the ants come marching in . . .
| Who? |
Ants are one of the most successful groups of insects. They are social insects that live in colonies usually in the ground. They can however enter the home and live in wall voids. A few examples of wall nesting ants are carpenter, crazy ants, and orderous house ant. A few common ground nesting ants are the pavement ant, the little black ant, and fire ants - thankfully not established on Long Island yet. |
| Why? | It's that time of year again. The ground has warmed up and there is plenty of moisture from spring showers. It is also time for the ants to begin foraging after a winter of sparce rations. Ant will feed on any type of food. Those ants entering the house are in search of food that is sweet or contains protein substances. |
| What? | Most ants are mainly nuisance pests but they can be implicated in some health concerns. For instance some species may carry the organisms of some diseases by crawling over refuse, carrion or sewage. This would afford the opportunity for food contamination if they were to come into contact with edibles. Other ants like Carpenter Ants can cause extreme structural damage by gnawing through wood structures such as house timber, decking, or fencing. |
| Control | Ants are frequently attracted from outdoor colonies by food odors. It is therefore a good idea to store food in tight containers and to remove kitchen waste to outdoor storage frequently. Try not to leave refuse indoors overnight, as that is when ants are most active. Follow ant trails in order to determine the source of food and then clean-up the area. Also, seal cracks and crevices with any caulking material to prevent entry. Ants also prefer moisture under sinks and crawl spaces. Fix leaks and allow area to dry out to aid in prevention of ant harborages. |
| Identification of the ant species is essential in control of the infestation. Different ant species vary in habitat and food preference. It is recommended to take or send a sample of ants to your local Extension Service for identification. In addition, specific controls for ants are found in our Cornell fact sheets provided on the Web. |
Please use our link to Ants in Houses for more details and for up to date Integrated Pest management techniques. Carpenter Ant information and management practices can be found at Carpenter Ants.
Contact Joyce Rodler for more information.
Back to Something Bugging You?
June 2001
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©2001 Cornell Cooperative Extension |
