Poor sanitation is the main cause of ant infestations. Leaving dirty dishes in the sink, food residue on countertops, crumbs on the floor, and not emptying the trash frequently provide food sources for ants. What starts with a few ants entering a home can become a major problem if they establish colonies in walls, lawns, or under home foundations.

One of the biggest problems with ants in the home is food contamination. Ants carry bacteria on their bodies, which spreads when they crawl in pantries and across countertops. While only a few species are known to transmit diseases, finding any type of ant in pantry goods or inside the home is unpleasant and creates nuisances.

Some species, like carpenter ants and fire ants, cause additional problems. Carpenter ants can cause costly damage by chewing tunnels through wood beams. Fire ant stings can be painful and may cause serious symptoms, leading to allergic reactions in some people who are highly sensitive to ant stings.

Ant control can be challenging, but understanding ants’ behavior can help you manage issues in your home:

• Entry: Ants can squeeze through tiny cracks to find water and food like sweets or grease in kitchen pantries or storage areas.
• Scent trails: Ants leave invisible chemical trails with pheromones for others to follow once they find a food source.
• Nest locations: They can nest almost anywhere around your house: in lawns, walls, tree stumps, or even under foundations.
• Colony size: Colonies can be massive, numbering from 300,000 to 500,000 ants, and they can relocate quickly if disturbed.
• Colony lifespan: Ant colonies can survive for many years. Worker ants may live up to seven years, while queens can live as long as 15 years.
• DIY effectiveness: Most DIY ant control methods only eliminate the ants you see. Effective treatments can penetrate and destroy nests to prevent pests from returning. Different types of ant infestations may require specific treatments that home remedies often overlook.

The ant life cycle includes four distinct stages: egg, larvae, pupae, and adult, known as complete metamorphosis. The time to complete this cycle varies from weeks to months, depending on the ant species and environmental conditions.

• Eggs: After mating, fertile queen ants lay tiny, oval, transparent eggs in sheltered nests. These eggs are about half a millimeter in diameter.
• Larvae: After 1-2 weeks, the eggs hatch into grub-like, legless larvae with a strong appetite. Adult ants feed these larvae with digested food and liquids.
• Pupae: Larvae molt and enter the pupal stage, resembling adults with folded legs and antennae. Initially white, pupae darken as they mature. Some ants may be enclosed in a protective cocoon during this stage.
• Adult: Once pupation is complete, the fully grown adult ant emerges. Adult ants belong to three castes: queens, workers, or males. Queens are fertile egg-layers, workers gather food, feed larvae, and maintain the nest without reproducing. Workers are wingless and seen foraging or defending the colony. Male ants have wings and mate with queens during swarming events.