Spring Days And Ants In Colorado

Spring is always an exciting time as snow disappears, winter doldrums fade, and new life begins to be unveiled. Spring flowers push through the ground, trees bud out, and everything seems fresh. Unfortunately, the spring season does have its drawbacks, namely the arrival of ants. In today’s blog post, we’ll take a closer look at these common house-infesting pests and offer suggestions on how to keep them out of your Colorado home.

Why are ants a problem in Colorado during the spring season?

During winter, ants remain primarily dormant, only waking up on the occasional warm day. It’s not until spring and the arrival of warm weather that most homeowners in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and throughout the Rocky Mountain State start to see ant activity ramp up in and around their homes.

What are the big ants in spring?

There are a couple of ways to answer this question. If you mean size, the award goes to wood-damaging carpenter ants. These big black ants are a common problem, especially in homes with moisture problems. If you were referring to the ordinary or most likely-to-be-seen ants, that would still be carpenter ants. But... we would also add pavement ants, field ants, and sugar ants (also known as odorous house ants). Although the latter group is not as destructive as carpenter ants, they are considered nuisance pests. They could appear on your kitchen counters, establish unsightly nests along the walkway, and take over your home and yard.

It's normal to have ants in your house in the spring

Even as ants focus on building nests, finding food, and reproducing, they still seem to find a way inside every spring. It’s entirely possible they were there all winter and have established nests indoors, or they found your house while looking for a shelter to keep them warm during the chilly nights. While it’s normal to see ant activity every spring, it doesn’t have to be that way. Professional pest control services are the perfect solution; we’ll talk about them in a moment. 

How to keep ants out this spring

Considered one of the greatest thinkers of the Renaissance, Erasmus coined the phrase “prevention is better than cure.” And he wasn’t alone in this thinking. Our founding father, Benjamin Franklin, wrote that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  What does this have to do with keeping ants out this spring? Prevention! Not only is spring a good time to deep clean your home, but it’s also the perfect time of year to make repairs, declutter, pick up the yard, and focus on other tasks that make your home look better and prevent ant activity.

To that end, we recommend:

• Inspect your home for damage, cracks, gaps, and openings from the foundation to the roofline.
• Replace water-damaged wood, broken siding, and missing shingles, and make other repairs needed.
• Seal all potential entry points, including around utility line entrances.
• Install vent covers and a chimney cap, if necessary.
• Repair or replace any screens with rips or holes.
• Fix the dripping faucet and make other plumbing repairs, if applicable.
• Run a dehumidifier or research other solutions for areas prone to moisture.
• Remove clutter from the garage, attic, and other storage areas.
• Clean out the pantry and cupboards, discarding items that have expired or that have torn packaging.
• Clean and disinfect your house, especially the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Keep a lid on your indoor trash can; do not let garbage bags accumulate around your outdoor bins.

Contact EnviroPest for effective ant control this spring!

While implementing all the prevention tips mentioned above, the best way to eliminate and prevent ant infestations is to contact EnviroPest. Our locally operated pest control company offers year-round home pest control services that target ants and other pests. With pricing starting as low as $39/month, homeowners in our service area can stop ants for good!

This blog was originally published on April 30, 2015. It has been edited to include the most up-to-date information about ants in Colorado.