What You Need to Know About Ants in Your Walls

What You Need to Know About Ants in Your Walls

Did you find ants on your home’s baseboards or in the electrical outlets? If your home has a possible pest problem, take a look at what you need to know about ants, walls, and an insect invasion.  

Why Do Ants Live in Walls?

Unlike exposed areas, walls offer ants comfort, protection, shelter, and a sense of safety. When the outdoor air is cool, ants may make their way indoors to get out of the elements. Even though the weather may have warmed, an existing infestation that started in the winter months isn’t likely to go away on its own. If the ants have nested, they won’t leave their home just because the snow thaws.

Along with shelter, some of the top reasons ants nest in walls include:

  • Easy access. Cracks in your home’s exterior may lead directly into the walls. This provides easy access for ants looking for a new space to live and breed.
  • Moisture. The enclosed interior space of a wall may have the moisture ants crave—especially if you have an undetected plumbing leak inside of the wall.
  • Access to the interior. Do your walls have a sufficient food source for the ants? While some species eat wood/building materials, others won’t. If your ants aren’t wood-eaters, this space provides direct access to your home’s kitchen and other places these pests may find a meal.

Now that you know why ants may have chosen your home’s walls as their new home, you should take the next step and figure out whether you have a true pest problem or not.

Do You Have Ants in Your Walls?

How do you know if you have an indoor ant invasion? The most common signs of a pest problem in your walls include:

  • The ants. One of the easiest ways to spot an infestation is the presence of the ants. You may notice ants under the baseboards or in/around electrical receptacles. You may also see the ants out and about, searching for food/moisture inside of your home.
  • Strange noises. You may hear a large infestation inside of your walls.
  • Saw dust or wood shavings. Carpenter ants can chew through wood. If you have this species in your walls, you may see what looks like saw dust or wood shavings under the baseboards or near the walls.

If you’re not sure whether you have a lone ant, a few stragglers, or a true interior wall invasion, contact a pest control professional. The exterminator can inspect your home, identify an infestation, and recommend a treatment plan for the specific type of ant invader they find in your walls.

How Do You Eliminate Ants in Walls?

Whether you knew of an obvious invasion or the pest control professional finds one, you need to eliminate the ant problem. What can you do about ants in your walls? To stop the invasion and prevent a repeat infestation:

  • Call a professional. Even though a do-it-yourself approach may seem like it saves money, without expert-level knowledge you may put yourself/your family at risk, or you may not fully eliminate the problem. Leave this issue to the professional.
  • Seal off exterior entries. Inspect the exterior of your home for easy entry points. Fill in cracks, holes, and other types of damage. While this won’t stop an existing issue, it can prevent a future re-infestation.
  • Clean your home. Many types of ants feed on sugar, protein, and the same foods you eat. Remove crumbs promptly, vacuum regularly, and put food products away (in places ants can’t reach).

Along with an initial extermination, contract the pest control professional for regular maintenance. Routine service can prevent a repeat ant infestation in the future.

Does your home have an ant invasion? Contact Eary Termite & Pest Services for more information.

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