Why Ant Activity Is Increasing Across Colorado

It's that time of the year again. No, not winter, but the season when homeowners notice an influx of ants trying to invade or are already present in their Colorado homes. This happens every summer as temperatures rise. Have you spotted ants in your home? There's no need to panic. We have some straightforward advice and tips to help you understand the situation and take steps to eradicate ants.

Why ants move into your house

There are several reasons why ants might want to invade your home and claim it as their own, and it all starts in your yard.

• Food sources
  Ants are always on the lookout for food. This can include sweet substances like nectar from flowers, sugary fruit residues, other insects on the property, food scraps left behind from outdoor activities, and even the outdoor trash can. Pet food left outside can also be a strong attractant.
• Moisture
  Ants need water, so they are often drawn to moist areas. This can include lawns with regular watering, puddles, birdbaths, and leaking hoses or sprinklers.
• Shelter
  Yards provide numerous hiding and nesting spots for ants. These include soil, mulch, leaf litter, woodpiles, and under rocks or paving stones. They may also infest woodpiles and lumber stacked up in the yard.

Once ants establish their colonies in the yard, it’s only natural that their scouts will find a way indoors. If those foraging ants find conditions to strengthen and grow the colony, they will lay down a pheromone trail for others to follow.  Here are a few things that might cause a scout to create a trail:

• Dirty dishes in the sink.
• Grease build-up on the kitchen stove.
• An apple core in a waste paper basket.
• Crumbs on the floor.
• Sugar on a counter or shelf.
• A leaking faucet.
• Moisture problems in the bathroom.

Why are ants a big problem?

Ants are built to grow their numbers and make new nests. Their ability to drive you crazy grows with each nest they make. The more ants you have, the more ants you'll see come out in large numbers to crawl all over your counters, shelves, trash, dishes, and more.

There is one kind of ant in Colorado that might not drive you crazy because it is nocturnal. It is called the carpenter ant. Unfortunately, these ants aren't harmlessly hiding in the shadows. They can damage your property, and that damage grows as they create new nests.

Ants don't just annoy you in your home or damage your property; they can also cause trouble outside. Pavement ants in Colorado are notorious for building nests in and around cracks in driveways, sidewalks, pavers, and similar areas. They may also construct mounds in lawns and other open areas, particularly if the soil conditions are favorable.  

What can you do to stop summer ants?

The National Pest Management Association offers the following tips to help you keep ants out:

• Clean your floors and counters to remove particles of food.
• Store food inside sealed pest-proof containers to keep ants out.
• Repair pipes, garbage disposals, faucets, and showerheads to reduce water sources for ants.
• Keep dog and cat dishes clean or establish a mealtime and only leave food down then.
• Block potential entry points ants may use to enter your home. They often get in through gaps around old and worn-out weatherproofing or gaps around pipes and wire conduits.

While these ant prevention tips may help, remember that you must find and eradicate ant colonies to eliminate ants completely. If you only exterminate the ants you see and don’t address their nests, ants will return.

Rather than spend your summer trying to find ant colonies on your property, contact EnviroPest for help!

Trusted home pest control services for Colorado residents

You don't have to wait until ants take over or damage your home this summer. Contact EnviroPest for effective home pest control services in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, or elsewhere in our NoCo service area! Our award-winning pest protection is smart, effective, and affordable. Reach out to us today to get more information or request a service visit and start getting coverage for ants and other house-infesting pests. It is that easy.